Latest news with #UKGovernmentSharedProsperityFund
Business News Wales
3 days ago
- Business
- Business News Wales
Key Funding Sees Flintshire Organisations and Communities 'Flourish'
A multi-million-pound UK Government-funded programme has significantly benefitted Flintshire residents, with communities upskilled, local facilities enhanced, and business productivity increased, the local authority says. Having received more than £12.4 million from the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), Flintshire County Council has supported 26 projects to improve employment opportunities, foster business growth, and upgrade key amenities. The financial aid was delivered between 2022-2025 and encompassed three core themes: communities and place, people and skills, and supporting local business alongside 'Multiply', which was designed to increase adult numeracy skills. Thanks to the investment, data revealed that close to 15,000 people have a more positive perception of their local facilities, such as social clubs and community hubs, with 6,073 more residents using the amenities than before. For example, town centres across Flintshire benefitted from the county council's Town Centre Investment Programme with 13 commercial properties redeveloped, 48 events and activities financially supported, and more than 50 businesses receiving bespoke advice, as well as numerous sites undergoing environmental enhancements. In addition, projects such as Flintshire County Council's Strength in Numbers and LEAP (Learn, Explore, Achieve, Perform), as well as WeMindTheGap's Minding the Gaps of Young People project, have improved the confidence and skills of youngsters and adults across the county Results showcase that through such schemes, 1,709 people have successfully gained a qualification, with a further 2,693 people in education or training to boost their employment prospects. Some 1,383 Flintshire firms also received support, with 429 businesses adopting new innovative technologies and/or processes, and 203 decarbonisation plans developed in alignment with Wales' net zero by 2050 target. One such enterprise was design consultancy Dylunio Solutions, which received a smart workbench to streamline the design and development of a military canine respiratory system thanks to the UKSPF-funded AMRC Cymru Accelerating Decarbonisation and Productivity Technology and Skills (ADAPTS) scheme. Alongside business support, strengthening adults' numeracy skills was a key focus for the county which delivered its Multiply programme; a project that saw 1,513 people participate in maths qualifications and courses. Councillor Chris Dolphin, Flintshire County Council cabinet member for economy, environment, and climate, said: 'From the increased usage of community facilities to the adoption of green technologies, the positive effects of the UKSPF are evident across Flintshire. 'Thanks to the financial support from the UK Government, the county is well placed to go from strength to strength over the coming years and I hope we see the benefit to the Flintshire economy and an overall greater sense of pride within residents towards their local area.'
South Wales Argus
25-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Marches Partnership priorities agreed by Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire and Powys agreed to form a voluntary partnership with English neighbours Herefordshire and Shropshire in September 2023. The Marches Forward Partnership is intended to help the border counties contribute to economic growth and recognise issues they have in common and that cross the different boundaries everyday. Monmouthshire County Council's cabinet has now backed the agreed vision and collective ambition for the Marches Forward Partnership. The Marches Proposition document sets out three immediate priorities which are support for food production, a Marches Environmental Investment and Innovation Platform which will address challenges such as water quality and flood risk and to attract private investment while a health group will consider pilot projects to make early interventions on health inequalities and the transport group will look to improve cross-border transport. The councils hope their work can help it attract £1.5m in funding from the UK and Welsh governments. The four councils have contributed around £100,000 each with Monmouthshire's contribution to date just over £95,000 which it took from its allocation from the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund. Its contribution in the current financial year will be between £54,000 and £61,553 which will come from its own capital budgets. Conservative opposition leader Councillor Richard John described the council's contribution as 'funded by the UK Government' and asked what confidence it had the partnership has the support of the UK Government which has recently withdrawn funding for other 'pan-regional' development projects including the Western Gateway Partnership. Deputy leader, Labour's Paul Griffiths, said the Marches Partnership is in a 'different position' to the Western Gateway, which was directly funded by Westminster to work across South Wales and the West of England, but said deputy prime minister Angela Rayner's department has asked to be part of some of its working groups. 'It is an expression of genuine interest and a desire to be an active partner,' said Cllr Griffiths. Cabinet member Sara Burch said she thought the partnership is a 'real opportunity' for the food economy and tourism. Monmouthshire's cabinet also agreed to a partnership board, from the member councils intended as a 'light touch governance arrangement' and to an evaluation of the partnership's progress after 12 months.
Leader Live
20-05-2025
- General
- Leader Live
Free community events at Lend & Mend in Tŷ Pawb
Based at Tŷ Pawb (supported by the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund, Refurbs and Wrexham County Borough Council) they have released the first schedule of repair sessions and upcycling workshops. The upcycling workshops and repair sessions are free, hands-on events, and are a key part of Lend & Mend's mission to support Wrexham residents to save money, reduce waste, and build community through shared knowledge and sustainable practices. Whether you are fixing a broken toaster, mending a torn jacket, or breathing new life into an old piece of clothing Lend & Mend can help. Read more: 'There's always something special' at Wrexham's new Greek business, owner says The upcycling workshop start on Friday, May 30 from 11.30am-1.30pm and then will then take place monthly on the last Friday of the month. Join their first workshop to create upcycled home decorations. Charming door hangings or artworks using repurposed materials for a personalised touch. Other session includes: • Afternoon tea - cake tiers • Lampshade garden mobiles • Backpack bling • Clock upcycle • Visible mending Make cake stands with upcycling. Repair sessions start on Saturday, June 14, from 11am. Bring in small household items in need of repair and work alongside experienced volunteers to fix them. Learn useful repair skills while keeping items out of landfill. Repair session will then take place monthly on the second Saturday of the month. All sessions will take place at Tŷ Pawb, in the new Lend & Mend community space. No experience is necessary; tools (and materials for workshops) will be provided. Read more: Hundreds of jigsaws available to loan from Chirk Library Residents are encouraged to bring items for repair, sign up for a workshop, or just drop in and learn more about what Lend & Mend has to offer. Sessions are free, but spaces are limited, registered your attendance via the Eventbrite page online here: Lend & Mend is also looking for volunteers with repair or crafting skills or just a passion for community to help deliver these sessions. Whether you are a tinkerer, a sewer, or a DIY enthusiast, there is an opportunity for you to get involved. Contact them through Facebook - @LendandMendTyPawb, email info@ call 07521 428718 or visit
South Wales Guardian
30-04-2025
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
Potential ferry link between Swansea and south-west England
That is the aim of the company, Ocean Prime Industries Ltd, which is carrying out a 12-month feasibility study into the concept. Although it's very early days, the company's chief executive and founder Dave Sampson envisaged a vessel around 55m long which would take passengers, cars and some cargo at speeds of up to 40 knots. The zero-emission ferry would have an electric powertrain, run on clean power and have a relatively shallow draught. Mr Sampson said Swansea was at this stage the only firm destination, should the initiative progress further. In terms of other locations either side of the Bristol Channel and Celtic Sea, he said: 'We are not ruling anything in or out.' Mr Sampson said the service would need to operate year-round and that destinations it served would require a ramp for vehicles and ideally a shore power supply. 'We wouldn't be building a big terminal,' he said. A Bristol Channel ferry service isn't a new idea and a fast service linking Swansea and Ilfracombe in north Devon, called Severnlink, came close to launching in 2010 but was hit by funding difficulties. Three years ago Rob Stewart, the leader of Swansea Council, signalled backing for a hydrogen-powered ferry, and the authority has given Ocean Prime Industries some UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund money towards the feasibility study. Passengers would save time normally spent in a car on the M4 and M5 and tourism, say supporters of the idea, would be boosted. Mr Sampson said around 4,000 people have already responded to a consultation to gauge public appetite for a ferry since it was launched in early March, and that approximately 98% of respondents backed it. The remainder, he said, were 'maybes' or 'noes'. He said supporters wanted to have the option of taking their car, and also good public transport connections. The 'maybes', he said, generally liked the concept but wanted more information while the 'noes' said it's been tried before and wouldn't work. 'I quite like the 'noes', they tell us more than the 'yesses',' he said. But it's not just the public who have responded. 'It's been really fascinating – some large shipping companies have contacted us, logistics companies have contacted us, fuel companies have been in touch , and we've had marine engineers expressing an interest in working with us,' said Mr Sampson. 'We've been massively heartened by the whole thing.' Further engagement will take place in the coming months, plus traffic data analysis, more research into UK and international ferry services, and financial viability work. The plan is for a final report to be submitted to Swansea Council next January showing whether a ferry service could be economically viable and beneficial for the region. It could end up being the case, said Mr Sampson, that there wasn't sufficient demand and that it couldn't be viable. The Bristol Channel, which becomes the Celtic Sea further west, can be stormy. Mr Samspon said waves could reach up to 10m in the area between Swansea and North Devon for example but were typically more in the region of one-metre to 1.5m. 'There would be days when we wouldn't be able to run a service,' he said. 'The intention is to run it as much as possible. It's very difficult commercially to run a service which just operates in the summer.' He added: 'Part of the design of the ferry is to look at this, and make the crossing as smooth as possible in as many sea conditions as possible.' The Bristol Channel has a very high tidal range – the higher the further east you go – which adds to the challenge in terms of accessing lower-water harbours. Mr Sampson said he wouldn't rule out destinations in Cornwall or Pembrokeshire – potentially even Rosslare in south-east Ireland if there was strong support, for example, for a service from Swansea. 'This is all about customer demand,' he said. Mr Sampson said the zero-emission aspect of the project was very important but also challenging. 'It would be easier if we said we were going to do a hybrid diesel, or some other hybrid,' he said. Ocean Prime Industries' website said low-emission passenger ferries services were increasingly realistic. A way of becoming zero emission would be using hydrogen as a power source as long as renewable energy was used to split water into hydrogen, and oxygen, in the first place. The company said it was searching for technologies which created a more efficient ship, and that some may not have reached the market yet but would in the next year or two. Asked if he envisaged a single ferry or more than one, Mr Samspon indicated one to start with. He also reckoned there could be scope for it transporting workers employed on proposed tidal lagoon and offshore wind projects. A Swansea Bay tidal lagoon is being looked at as part of a larger energy and infrastructure project, as is a tidal lagoon proposal between Minehead and Watchet the other side of the channel. One component of the Somerset lagoon would be a new ferry terminal at Minehead for a small roll-on roll-off ferry. Meanwhile, a number of ports are looking at how they might benefit from a new government-backed floating offshore wind industry planned in the Celtic Sea. Mr Sampson studied marine biology at Swansea University, and did a master's degree in aquaculture and fisheries management at the University of Stirling. His varied career has included a stint at a trout farm, being head of marketing at mobile phone firm 3, working in overseas development, and as commercial lead on a six-month project looking into zero-emission autonomous cargo submarines. It was on this submarine project that he met naval architect Jami Buckley, who joined him at Ocean Prime Industries, and realised that transitioning away from oil for the shipping industry was 'exceptionally complex'. Mr Sampson, who has set up a GoFundMe webpage to help fund the feasibility study, said: 'A lot of work is being done looking at electric and hydrogen-powered vessels. The challenge is that it's taking a long time to be deployed.' Cllr Stewart said he believed a ferry could bring economic benefits as well as cutting travel times. The feedback from residents and businesses thus far, he said, suggested 'overwhelming support' to explore the idea further. Mr Sampson said he wouldn't want a ferry service from Swansea to south-west England to rely on a public subsidy. 'We are looking at this as a commercial operation,' he said. 'I know there are a lot of ferries that are subsidised, I don't think they're always doing a particularly good job because of it.'
South Wales Argus
26-04-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Potential ferry link between Swansea and south-west England
That is the aim of the company, Ocean Prime Industries Ltd, which is carrying out a 12-month feasibility study into the concept. Although it's very early days, the company's chief executive and founder Dave Sampson envisaged a vessel around 55m long which would take passengers, cars and some cargo at speeds of up to 40 knots. The zero-emission ferry would have an electric powertrain, run on clean power and have a relatively shallow draught. Mr Sampson said Swansea was at this stage the only firm destination, should the initiative progress further. In terms of other locations either side of the Bristol Channel and Celtic Sea, he said: 'We are not ruling anything in or out.' Mr Sampson said the service would need to operate year-round and that destinations it served would require a ramp for vehicles and ideally a shore power supply. 'We wouldn't be building a big terminal,' he said. A Bristol Channel ferry service isn't a new idea and a fast service linking Swansea and Ilfracombe in north Devon, called Severnlink, came close to launching in 2010 but was hit by funding difficulties. Three years ago Rob Stewart, the leader of Swansea Council, signalled backing for a hydrogen-powered ferry, and the authority has given Ocean Prime Industries some UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund money towards the feasibility study. Passengers would save time normally spent in a car on the M4 and M5 and tourism, say supporters of the idea, would be boosted. Mr Sampson said around 4,000 people have already responded to a consultation to gauge public appetite for a ferry since it was launched in early March, and that approximately 98% of respondents backed it. The remainder, he said, were 'maybes' or 'noes'. He said supporters wanted to have the option of taking their car, and also good public transport connections. The 'maybes', he said, generally liked the concept but wanted more information while the 'noes' said it's been tried before and wouldn't work. 'I quite like the 'noes', they tell us more than the 'yesses',' he said. But it's not just the public who have responded. 'It's been really fascinating – some large shipping companies have contacted us, logistics companies have contacted us, fuel companies have been in touch , and we've had marine engineers expressing an interest in working with us,' said Mr Sampson. 'We've been massively heartened by the whole thing.' Further engagement will take place in the coming months, plus traffic data analysis, more research into UK and international ferry services, and financial viability work. The plan is for a final report to be submitted to Swansea Council next January showing whether a ferry service could be economically viable and beneficial for the region. It could end up being the case, said Mr Sampson, that there wasn't sufficient demand and that it couldn't be viable. The Bristol Channel, which becomes the Celtic Sea further west, can be stormy. Mr Samspon said waves could reach up to 10m in the area between Swansea and North Devon for example but were typically more in the region of one-metre to 1.5m. 'There would be days when we wouldn't be able to run a service,' he said. 'The intention is to run it as much as possible. It's very difficult commercially to run a service which just operates in the summer.' He added: 'Part of the design of the ferry is to look at this, and make the crossing as smooth as possible in as many sea conditions as possible.' The Bristol Channel has a very high tidal range – the higher the further east you go – which adds to the challenge in terms of accessing lower-water harbours. Mr Sampson said he wouldn't rule out destinations in Cornwall or Pembrokeshire – potentially even Rosslare in south-east Ireland if there was strong support, for example, for a service from Swansea. 'This is all about customer demand,' he said. Mr Sampson said the zero-emission aspect of the project was very important but also challenging. 'It would be easier if we said we were going to do a hybrid diesel, or some other hybrid,' he said. Ocean Prime Industries' website said low-emission passenger ferries services were increasingly realistic. A way of becoming zero emission would be using hydrogen as a power source as long as renewable energy was used to split water into hydrogen, and oxygen, in the first place. The company said it was searching for technologies which created a more efficient ship, and that some may not have reached the market yet but would in the next year or two. Asked if he envisaged a single ferry or more than one, Mr Samspon indicated one to start with. He also reckoned there could be scope for it transporting workers employed on proposed tidal lagoon and offshore wind projects. A Swansea Bay tidal lagoon is being looked at as part of a larger energy and infrastructure project, as is a tidal lagoon proposal between Minehead and Watchet the other side of the channel. One component of the Somerset lagoon would be a new ferry terminal at Minehead for a small roll-on roll-off ferry. Meanwhile, a number of ports are looking at how they might benefit from a new government-backed floating offshore wind industry planned in the Celtic Sea. Mr Sampson studied marine biology at Swansea University, and did a master's degree in aquaculture and fisheries management at the University of Stirling. His varied career has included a stint at a trout farm, being head of marketing at mobile phone firm 3, working in overseas development, and as commercial lead on a six-month project looking into zero-emission autonomous cargo submarines. It was on this submarine project that he met naval architect Jami Buckley, who joined him at Ocean Prime Industries, and realised that transitioning away from oil for the shipping industry was 'exceptionally complex'. Mr Sampson, who has set up a GoFundMe webpage to help fund the feasibility study, said: 'A lot of work is being done looking at electric and hydrogen-powered vessels. The challenge is that it's taking a long time to be deployed.' Cllr Stewart said he believed a ferry could bring economic benefits as well as cutting travel times. The feedback from residents and businesses thus far, he said, suggested 'overwhelming support' to explore the idea further. Mr Sampson said he wouldn't want a ferry service from Swansea to south-west England to rely on a public subsidy. 'We are looking at this as a commercial operation,' he said. 'I know there are a lot of ferries that are subsidised, I don't think they're always doing a particularly good job because of it.'
