What the UKSPF is and how it has helped Wirral communities 

With 148 new jobs and 41 new businesses, 19 neighbourhood improvements projects and three major recruitment events, the UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF) is helping boost Wirral’s economy, delivering jobs, supporting arts and helping make the borough an even better place to live.  

Launched in 2022 to give areas support in three core areas: Communities and Place, Local Business and People and Skills, the fund is administered by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. It was set up to help improve local pride by investing in communities, from making local green spaces better to providing business support and help into employment. To date it has had a direct impact on people’s lives with 399 people supported into employment through UKSPF. 

In Wirral the Council’s allocation of the Fund has also been supporting projects across the borough aimed at a huge variety of different projects, from funding Youth Markets to help and showcase our young entrepreneurs to tree planting and creating pollinator spaces, from job fairs to support for town centres.   

Wirral Council’s allocation of UKSPF has also helped in delivering programmes that foster pride in local communities and tackle crime and antisocial behaviour, as well as the creation of new jobs and collaboration with local businesses, plus helping residents overcome a range of barriers to increase their employability, as well as reducing economic inactivity.   

Here are just a handful of the things you very likely didn’t know UKSPF has helped to support (with extra help from some other funding):  

• Three hugely successful and popular Youth Markets, at Liscard, New Brighton and Birkenhead town centre have been held to provide a platform for 98 young entrepreneurs, with more on the way. 
• Free, secure public Wi-Fi was made available to locals, businesses and visitors to the main parts of New Brighton's two main shopping areas - Victoria and Seabank Road. 
• Five organisations have received grants through the Green Infrastructure Interventions project while 19 neighbourhood improvements projects were completed, ranging from restoration of natural habitats such as sand dunes, meadows to addressing litter and fly-tipping. 
• A total of 6,099m2 of green spaces have been created or improved across the borough via Green Enhancement and Pollinator Support project and 33 trees were planted via Left Bank Tree Planting Initiative.  
• 10 organisations received grants from the Community Grants Programme – these ranged from funds for Brackenwood Infant School to transform a neglected area into a vibrant community garden which is now maintained by local residents and Friends of Sandlea Gardens volunteers planting over 3,000 bulbs to a bench for Poll Hill Community Orchard and part funding of assessment of water quality by Friends of New Brighton Marine Lake. 
• 26 organisations received grants as part of the Wirral Borough of Culture programme, which supported a range of local events and enhancements to culture and heritage facilities.
• 399 people supported into employment and 35 into education and training through the Ways to Work programme, including the Reach Out Service delivered by Involve Northwest.  As part of the wider programme, an Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) project delivered by the Council’s 14-19 Team also provided 80 wage incentive grants to local businesses to employ young people and adults furthest from the labour market. 
• 197 businesses received non-financial support. Wirral Chamber of Commerce offer a comprehensive and fully funded Business Support Service on behalf of Wirral Council, to help them to improve or grow their business, with assistance such as business diagnostics, business planning, marketing and finance strategy, as well as accessing local and regional programmes of support. 148 new jobs and 41 new businesses have been created. 
• Three major recruitment events have been delivered with 1,674 attendees registered, 251 job vacancies advertised and 236 people signed up for further support to gain employment following the events. 
• Significant neighbourhood improvements have been undertaken via the Town Centre Infrastructure Support Targeted Capital Interventions project, including helping Birkenhead’s Argyle Quarter get a fresh look and work on Liscard Town Centre public realm improvements which is now underway.  
• 19 neighbourhood improvements undertaken via Public Realm Community Safety Interventions project  
  - New vehicles will help drive down crime and anti-social behaviour | Wirral View  
  - Wirral's mobile 'eye in the sky' helping to keep people safe | Wirral View 
• 3 projects delivered via One Front Door Volunteering project 
• 10 organisations received grants via Community Grants Programme  
  - Community Green Grants - Final Report  

This year it was confirmed Wirral will benefit from a further £2 million of UKSPF as part of a transition year. Wirral’s 2025/26 programme will help even more people improve their employability skills to be better able to gain employment. Support for local residents includes a 12-month extension of the Worklessness Support Service contract delivered by a local voluntary/community organisation Involve Northwest and more wage incentive grants on offer to local businesses as an extension of the ILM Project. This year's programme will also see continuation of frontline business support services, support for volunteering and further community safety and high street initiatives. 

Cllr Mark Skillicorn, chair of Wirral Council’s Economy, Regeneration and Housing Committee, said: 

Cllr Mike Wharton, Deputy Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: