UKSPF Quarter 3 Update:
On 5th December the Department for Levelling up, Housing & Communities approved the Investment Plan submitted in August 2022, since then the authority has returned the Memorandum of Understanding and is hoping to receive year 1 grant in January 2023. Spending is on track to spend all of the year 1 grant by 31st March 2023 and this is supported by the table below. Preparatory work for year 2 projects (starting April 2023) has started with project leads, the year 2 projects are listed below:
- Activation of open spaces
- Creative Communities Fund
- Continued Events expertise and Advertisements for events
- Iggy Sculpture Trail
- Arts Carnival
- Feasibility Study for a Community Arts Hub
- Borough Insight
- Green volunteering project to improve Town Centre Green Spaces
|
Intervention |
Project |
Detail |
2022/23 budget |
Amount spent: |
£ Committed |
Q3 Update: |
|
E1: Improvements to town centres & high streets |
Project B A Safe and Attractive Town Centre achieved through Greening and Lighting |
Feasibility study in year 1, The feasibility study will be combined with other work required for the Town Centre Strategy so the amount allocated reflects the study being partly funded from the TCS allocation |
£20,000 |
|
|
Consultant started work in January 2023, project scope discussions are underway with the consultant to complete the feasibility study. |
|
E6: Local arts, cultural, heritage & creative activities |
Project A - Building Pride in Place through promotion of the Town Centre and Events. |
Creative communities funds for local organisations and groups to support events |
£30,000 |
|
£30,000 |
Submission closed in January 2023, funding to be distributed across 18 projects. |
|
Festive Trail event – working with One Maidstone to create a festive trail to run through the Town Centre |
£20,000 |
£19,340
|
|
Festive Trail completed in December. |
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|
Events Expertise to develop bespoke events |
£4,500 |
£2,106 |
|
Support for the Festive Trail and Magic of Xmas Parade |
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|
Equipment purchase to support events |
£15,000 |
£6,268 |
£1,531 |
Videography equipment, speaker on wheels, Go Pro and accessories, uplighters for events, equipment storage. |
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|
E8: Campaigns to encourage visits and exploring of local area |
Project A - Building Pride in Place through promotion of the Town Centre and Events. |
Advertising budget to promote events across all channels |
£20,000 |
£4,901 |
£2,849 |
Support the Festive Trail and Magic of Xmas Parade |
|
Borough Insight Events and Town centre focussed |
£25,000 |
£25,000 |
|
Completed. |
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|
Promotional video for business and events in TC |
£5,218 |
£1,750 |
Promotional video for the Magic of Xmas Parade. |
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|
Management Overheads |
£5,822 |
|
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|
|
|
|
|
Total: |
£145,540 |
£59,365 |
£34,380 |
|
|
|
|
£93,745 |
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