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The cash is for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund Extension Programme for 2025/26 and will be used to support the authority's existing 22 projects under the existing three-year £5.9m UKSPF programme set out in 2024. It will be split between a maximum £2,428,502 for revenue spending, with a minimum £358,380 for capital projects.
Subject to final government approval, the grant will be available in late May or early June. The government has also confirmed the council will receive an initial down payment of £200,000 towards the 10-year Plan for Neighbourhoods (PfN) financial stream for improvements in Darwen of up to £19,537,000. Further details of future levels of grants for the scheme, formerly the Long Term Plan for Towns (LTPT) under the previous Conservative government, will become available from April 2027.
A new overall Darwen Town Board chaired by Tracey Alcock, managing director of Herbert Parkinson/John Lewis Partnership, will be created to replace the existing Darwen Town Deal and LTPT boards. A report to his executive board colleagues from Blackburn with Darwen Council leader Cllr Phil Riley says: "The council with a range of cross-sector partners agreed with government a three-year SPF Delivery Plan in 2022, which will complete by April 1. "The delivery plan secured £5.
9m in new government funding focused on three priorities: supporting local business sectors; people and skills; and communities and place. "Over the three-year programme, 22 projects have been supported by this plan. For example, we have developed a new Screen Strategy to take advantage of new opportunities in digital, media and film, with UCLan and Blackburn College leading this work.
"This will be launched at a stakeholder event in late Spring. "We aim to position Blackburn with Darwen at the heart of new cultural investment programmes developed by the new Lancashire Combined County Authority (LCCA). "We have delivered a strong business support programme with Growth Lancashire and take-up on the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre’s zero carbon and supply chain development support has been strong and well received by local businesses.
"Blackburn and Darwen Youth Zone and Newground have provided employability support to young people in need, while skills and business growth programmes delivered by Blackburn College and IN4 Group have provided focused support for residents and businesses to help them compete for new digital and cyber opportunities. "We have worked hard with partners to help develop and scale-up or borough’s cultural capacity by supporting The National Festival of Making and the Creative Alliance associate programme, as well as many events and activities across Blackburn and Darwen. "We have also co-invested in a best-in-class regional indoor facility at Darwen Cricket Club, which will open shortly.
"We welcome our UKSPF allocation of £2.786m, the largest local allocation Lancashire. "The themes and priorities for the one-year extension programme are similar to the first three years of the SPF Programme with greater emphasis on supporting the local delivery of the government’s national missions.
"The programme is evenly balanced across business growth, skills and employability projects and cultural, creative and sports initiatives.".
