Every council in Wales except Flintshire to get slice of UK Government’s £46m ‘Community Renewal Fund’  

Flintshire Council has said it is “disappointed” at not receiving an award of funding from the UK Government’s ‘Community Renewal Fund’

The local authority is the only one in Wales not to receive any cash for projects in the county because very few organisations locally submitted bids.

More than 160 projects across Wales will receive a share of over £46 million investment to help people into work, boost productivity and deliver net-zero, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove announced today.

The Community Renewal Fund will pilot new programmes that invest in people, boost skills and support local business – to build more communities that people are proud to call home.

Funding packages range from £6,600 range to £1.9m, neighbouring Wrexham County Borough Council will receive £219,300 to go towards two local projects.

Denbighshire has had 14 bids totalling nearly £2.9m accepted while Conwy had 10 funding bids totalling £2.2m accepted.

Flintshire put out an open call to community groups and organisations but only received four responses.

Following a “thorough assessment” by the council, just one bid from Flintshire was forwarded to the UK Government for funding.

Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove said:  “We are determined to unite and level up our whole United Kingdom.

“The projects we are supporting today, from Wrexham to Caerphilly, will help communities across Wales realise their full potential, create new opportunities for the future and help us achieve net zero carbon emissions.”

Flintshire’s Chief Officer for Planning, Environment and Economy, Andrew Farrow, said: “Flintshire issued an open call for proposals for the UK Government Community Renewal Fund in line with programme guidance which sought large scale projects that could be delivered in full by March 2022. ”

“Only four proposals were received from interested organisations.”

“All of the projects proposed learning and wellbeing activities to be delivered in Flintshire, either with schools, businesses or unemployed individuals.”

“The Council undertook a thorough assessment of each application and, following this process, a single application was made to UK Government.

“The Council is disappointed not to receive an award of funding from the programme but looks forward to working closely with UK Government on further projects at both a local and regional level.”

Authority breakdown:

• Blaenau Gwent (10 bids = £2,708,212)
• Bridgend (6 bids = £785,149)
• Caerphilly (4 bids = £1,327,368)
• Cardiff (9 bids = £836,704)
• Carmarthenshire (12 bids = £2,944,925)
• Ceredigion (12 bids = £2,830,546)
• Conwy (10 bids = £2,295,416)
• Denbighshire (14 bids = £2,890,209)
• Gwynedd (9 bids = £2,661,180)
• Isle of Anglesey (6 bids = £2,720,160)
• Merthyr Tydfil (4 bids = £1,973,784)
• Monmouthshire (9 bids = £2,043,356)
• Neath Port Talbot (6 bids = £2,412,374)
• Newport (7 bids = £2,802,968)
• Pembrokeshire (9 bids = £2,922,896)
• Powys (6 bids = £2,679,112)
• Rhondda Cynon Taf (7 bids = £2,209,503)
• Swansea (9 bids – £2,668,321)
• Torfaen (7 bids – £3,861,344)
• Vale of Glamorgan (7 bids – £1,062,431)
• Wrexham (2 bids – £219,300)