UK Community Renewal Fund: South Tyneside Prospectus

In selecting the bids that will be forwarded to the UK Government for consideration, South Tyneside Council will prioritise the bids that have the greatest potential to deliver against key local growth priorities.

Our key local priorities are the three main drivers of sustainable, inclusive, economic growth identified in the South Tyneside Economic Recovery Plan:

• Turbocharge productivity by refashioning our skills system, boosting our support for businesses and investing in transport and digital infrastructure
• Catalyse green and sustainable growth by maximising the potential of our low-carbon and digital assets and expertise
• Foster an inclusive recovery by boosting our vibrant communities, cultural assets and amazing places and tackling barriers to health and wellbeing

Any project must fit with one of these drivers and our ambition of South Tyneside as an outstanding place to live, invest and bring up families.

Our aim in our vision to 2031 is to raise prosperity for all our residents by creating an environment for residents, students, businesses, investors and visitors to succeed, while strengthening our communities by harnessing the community spirit that came out of the pandemic. The Council has also declared a Climate Change Emergency so projects should fit the aims of our Sustainable South Tyneside Strategy.

This funding is a real chance to pilot projects and programmes that can be scaled up in the future. We would encourage applicants to propose innovative schemes that will be able to make a real difference to people's lives, helping to foster a sustainable economic recovery and upskill and reskill our residents and businesses to meet the challenges of the new economy.

We would, therefore, urge applicants to pay particularly attention to the key interventions outlined in the Economic Recovery Plan (above) and how any projects could align to the following potential schemes (this list is not exhaustive and is just a guide):

• Careers information, advice and guidance
• Employability skills, particularly for young people and those Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET)
• Business start-up advice and support
• Intensive support for Care Leavers, Looked After Children, those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) or other complex needs
• Support for the over 50's, in or out of work, or recently made redundant
• Schemes that equip residents with the skills needed for the green economy (particularly training on installation)
• Support for businesses to upskill and retrain staff
• Public health support
• Digital skills or inclusion activity
• Start-up and development support for social enterprises
• Support for SMEs on energy efficiency/electrification
• Support for SMEs on supply chain development and diversification, particularly into green industries
• Help for tourism businesses to adapt to the new economy
• Wheels to Work or e-Mobility transport schemes that link people to employment opportunities
• Export, digital or other support for businesses
• Support to help non-digital businesses utilise technology, including social media
• Climate Change and adaptation advice for businesses

Geographic Coverage -  projects should benefit the following places:

• South Tyneside Council area (which includes South Shields, Hebburn, Jarrow, Boldon, East and West Boldon, Cleadon, Whitburn and adjacent areas)
• Projects should also consider how to deliver services to, or focus provision upon, disadvantaged areas of the borough, such as Simonside & Rekendyke, Beacon & Bents, Biddick & All Saints, Cleadon Park and Bede wards.