£1.9m grant to help businesses and people across district

All areas of the UK are receiving an allocation from the £2.6 billion UKSPF pot to be invested by March 2025.

The proposal for year one is focused on Communities and Place and includes: refurbishing Oxcroft House in Bolsover into a cultural hub; delivering community arts activities across the district; promoting sustainable transport; enhancing the tourism offer of the area; and purchasing re-deployable CCTV cameras.

In year two, they will look at Supporting Local Businesses, through: improving businesses’ access to training and funding to develop skills and understanding relating to Net Zero; a grant scheme to encourage business improvement and growth opportunities leading to job creation and retention; and help and support for residents to start their own business.

For year three, they will focus their efforts on People and Skills, through: providing personalised and intensive support to move people closer to the jobs market; increasing skills training and offering digital training to people; and supporting internships for young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

Coun Liz Smyth, council cabinet member for economic growth, said: “People and businesses are at the heart of our district and what we do.

“As a growth-centred council, all the plans we will be focusing on will be based on growth, creation of jobs and skills – things that bring good things to our cistrict.”

The projects are to be part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

To find out more on the projects, call 01246 242302. To find out more about the business initiatives, call 01246 242387.