£46 million from new fund to support skills and business in Wales

More than 160 projects across Wales will receive a share of more than £46m to help people into work, boost productivity and deliver net zero.

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.

The Fund is supporting around 500 towns, villages and coastal communities across the whole United Kingdom to ensure that no place is left behind as the UK Government delivers on its commitment to level up the country.

Many of the successful projects are also supporting UK’s path to net zero carbon emissions, giving businesses creating clean technology a boost and ensuring that jobs are future proof.  For example, £127,000 will encourage sustainable and inclusive transport solutions in South Wales, helping to reduce car use and address air pollution.

Other projects being funded include:
£200,000 to support unemployed and disadvantaged people in Carmarthenshire to start their own business by investing in digital, employability and entrepreneurial skills. The programme will also fund a bootcamp for female entrepreneurs, creating a networking group for women in business.
£45,900 to upgrade trails in the Dinas Mawddwy area of Gwynedd. A key part of improvements will make the trails more accessible to those with disabilities, helping to protect community networks and ensure the outdoors is open to all.
£629,000 to support and fund manufacturers in Denbighshire to implement new or improved digital manufacturing strategies.
£67,000 to deliver deaf awareness training and basic British Sign Language to customer facing staff at range of businesses and organisations throughout Rhondda Cynon Taf.
£61,000 to fund a full feasibility study to improve visitor access to Freshwater West in Pembrokeshire which will benefit local businesses and ensure the environment is protected while increasing tourism.
£1 million to establish a Creative Industry Training Programme (CITP) which will provide a collaborative way of working, supporting training and learning opportunities in venues across Merthyr Tydfil and Cardiff.
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.

Secretary of State for Wales Simon Hart said:

The UK Government is completely focused on levelling up our communities, boosting skills and increasing opportunity for people right across Wales.

Funding for dozens of fantastic projects the length and breadth of Wales from digital skills in Conwy to small business support in Torfaen shows how we will unlock the potential of all our local areas.

This comes just days after £120m for Welsh projects was announced at last week’s Budget and shows that we will provide investment where it’s needed and where it can make a real difference to people’s lives.

Local authorities were invited to bid for funding from the Community Renewal Fund in May.

The £200 million funding through the UK Community Renewal Fund will help local areas prepare for the launch of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in 2022, the scheme that will see UK-wide funding at least match EU money, reaching around £1.5 billion a year.

In last week’s Budget, the UK Government announced investment of more than £121 million directly into communities in Wales, through the Levelling Up and Community Ownership funds, for big regeneration projects and smaller community initiatives.

Further Information is available on all three funds  – the Community Renewal Fund, the Community Ownership Fund and the Levelling Up Fund, including the full lists of successful bids.

The published methodology used to identify places in need of funding is also available.

Investment from EU Structural Funds will continue to be spent by local areas until 2023 and the Government has committed to at least matching EU receipts through the new UK Shared Prosperity Fund, on average reaching around £1.5 billion a year.

This new Fund, to be launched in 2022, will operate throughout the UK and play a part in uniting and levelling up the whole UK.