Caithness Map :: Links to Site Map Great value Unlimited Broadband from an award winning provider THU 7TH AUG 2025    5:59:32 AM BST
This site uses cookies, by continuing to use this site you accept the terms of our privacy policy
Back To Top
Caithness.Org Quick Links
Home
Construction
Leisure
Manufacturing
Misc.
Primary
Professional
Public
Retail
Tourism
Transport
Site Map
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Feed 2.0 Loading...

Update on UK Shared Prosperity Fund Delivery Plan progress

13th February 2025


#
13 February 2025

Update on UK Shared Prosperity Fund Delivery Plan progress

An update on the progress being made across a range of interventions under the UK Government funded UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) priorities of Communities and Places, Supporting Local Business and People and Skills was noted by Members of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee today (Thursday 13 February 2025). The report included reference to the Highland UKSPF allocation for 2025/26 and the work being progressed to establish a Delivery Plan for the coming financial year.

Chair of the Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans said: "As the UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocation must be spent within the 2025/26 financial year it is critical that projects are selected that will meet that timeframe. Members have agreed that a report will be presented, with recommendations, to the next Economy and Infrastructure Committee in May this year to enable Councillors to make decisions on which projects will go ahead."

The update to Members included information on some key projects including:

Community Regeneration Fund Programme -

The majority of UKSPF projects managed by the Community Regeneration Fund team have now commenced activity. The team are in regular contact with the grantees to ensure that all the approved outcomes will be met and in line with the UKSPF deadlines and areas of intervention.

Active Travel Enhancements and Small-Scale Transport Projects -

Work is progressing on active travel projects to improve access to public transport and walking, wheeling and cycling facilities. Highlighted projects that were recently completed included: active travel works in Fort William, at Obsdale Road in Alness and the footpath from Balloch to Sunnyside east of Inverness. Works have started on cycle storage at six primary schools across the region and contracts have been awarded for footpath and crossing points in Hilton and Raigmore housing estates in Inverness.

Development of Area Place Plans -

The latest positions on the establishment of Area Place Plans was provided for Black Isle and Easter Ross, Dingwall and Seaforth, Lochaber, Sutherland, Caithness, Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh, Skye and Raasay, Inverness and Nairn.

Development and Promotion of the Visitor Economy -

The allocation from UK Shared Prosperity Fund to develop and promote the visitor economy is being utilised across several projects, including: The Glencoe Three Sisters Visitor Facilities; Glencoe Village Car Park Project; the pan-Highland Motorhome Signage Project; and Na Trads 2024 - MG ALBA Scots Traditional Music Awards which was held in Inverness in November 2024.

Business Support Start Up and Growth Grants -

The Highland Council Business Gateway service delivers the Business start-up and growth grants for the UKSPF programme. A total 381 eligible businesses were approved for the start-up grant by the end of December 2024, and 65 businesses were supported with a growth grant.

People and Skills -

Support is being provided for unemployed or economically inactive people of working age who need between 6 to 12 months support to progress into employment. The two providers - Enable Scotland and Triage Centrum have continued to progress well in seeking referrals, with 251 clients registered to date and receiving support and 82 clients now in employment at this stage.

Area and Green Skills Training and Facilities -

Green skills training is being delivered with four consortia business grants awarded, with projects now completed or near completion. Over 120 people have been supported to gain a green skills qualification or complete a course, and more than 40 are in employment following support through:

Green Engineers for the Future, UHI North, West and Hebrides.
For Peat's Sake - consortia of businesses, Nature Scot and UHI Northwest Highland and Hebrides College.
Access to Engineering, Nigg Skills Academy.
Highland Green Skills, UHI Inverness.
Castle Training Programme -

A partnership with officers of The Highland Council, Developing the Young Workforce, UHI, and training providers is developing employability pathways for school leavers or those who would like to return to work to consider a career or role as part of the new Inverness Castle visitor experience team. To date, over 500 adult numeracy courses have been run in Highland through the Multiply programme

Multiply -

With twelve contracted providers across the region, this project continues to deliver support to people over the age of 16 to help improve their numeracy skills through free personal tutoring and digital training.

Budget Management -

The 2022-25 Highland UKSPF budget is £9.44m, comprising £7.81m allocated for Communities and Places, Supporting Local Business, and People and Skills priorities, and £1.63m ring fenced to Multiply (adult numeracy training), with spend allowed up to end March 2025.

In December 2024, the UK Government confirmed the UKSPF allocations for 2025/26, for Highland as £3.10m (£0.88m capital; and £2.22m revenue).

The update report presented to committee is available on the council's website here - Item 8
https://www.highland.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/5123/economy_and_infrastructure_committee

 

Related Businesses

 

Related Articles

Yesterday
Caledonia North Offshore Wind Farm Planning Application today 6 AugustThumbnail for article : Caledonia North Offshore Wind Farm Planning Application today 6 August
Caledonia North Offshore Wind Farm - construction and operation of an offshore wind farm comprising up to 77 turbines with a maximum blade tip height of 355m, subsea interconnector and export cabling and associated infrastructure.   The north planning committee of Highland council will decide today 6 August 2025.  
5/8/2025
Council urges landowners to check for wind damaged trees and drainage issues
Following the high winds forecast and experienced due to Storm Floris, The Highland Council is encouraging landowners to check trees and vegetation near to public roads which may have been damaged.   Landowners are also asked to check the drainage from their property that it is not blocked and overflowing onto public roads.  
4/8/2025
Council to bring Community transport providers together
Representatives from across the Highlands are being invited to a meeting that will focus on the current provision and future of Community Transport.   The event, organised and hosted by The Highland Council, will take place at Council HQ in Inverness on Wednesday 13 August.  
21/7/2025
Results Helpline to support pupils in the Highlands with SQA results
Young people in the Highlands can call a dedicated helpline offering expert advice to anyone receiving their full Higher, National, and Advanced results on Tuesday, 5 August 2025.   The pupils and students- along with their parents and carers - will be able to get support with their results through Skills Development Scotland's (SDS) Results Helpline, which opens from 8am on results day.  
Renewable energy firm ENERCON welcomed to Wick Business Park
Wick Business Park has welcomed wind energy technology company ENERCON as the first occupant of one of four new units completed last year.   ENERCON specialises in designing, producing, installing and servicing onshore wind turbines and has been operating in the Caithness area since 2013.  
3/7/2025
Bringing more empty homes back into use
Additional empty homes officers are being recruited to bring more privately owned houses back into use.   The new posts are being supported as part of a £2 million investment through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership in 2025-26 which will see staff take a more proactive and targeted approach to tackling local housing issues.  
2/7/2025
Community-Led Local Development Fund distributes over £900k to support projects in Highland
The Highland Strategic Local Action Group (LAG) met in June 2025 and considered and agreed funding for 28 projects submitted to the Community-Led Local Development fund (CLLD), which makes up part of The Highland Council Community Regeneration Fund (CRF) programme.   CRF is an umbrella term used to cover multiple external funding programmes administered by The Highland Council.  
2/7/2025
Community benefits funding delivers educational resources to Highland schoolsThumbnail for article : Community benefits funding delivers educational resources to Highland schools
Highland Council has provided 12 ‘Talking Tub' resources for use in primary schools across the Highlands, in partnership with Union Technical who deliver community benefits as part of the Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme programme.   Chair of Highland Council's Education Committee, Councillor John Finlayson, said: "This is a fantastic initiative being rolled out across Highland primary schools which brings innovation and inspiration to early years children.  
1/7/2025
Additional bins will help keep popular visitor spots tidy
Visitors will find it easier to dispose of their litter at several popular spots across Highland after the rollout of additional bins.  The rollout has been planned to support the tourism season as part of the Council's ongoing commitment to improve and support sustainable tourism in the area.  
27/6/2025
Accounts Commission commends Highland Council's culture of transformation
Members of the meeting of The Highland Council (26 June 2025) have considered and agreed the Accounts Commission's Best Value report, which was published in April 2025 and highlights organisational improvements across leadership, performance management and community engagement.   In April’s report, the Accounts Commission recognised and welcomed significant progress within the organisation since the 2020 Best Value Assurance Report (BVAR) and commended the embedded culture of transformation.