In December 2022, Oxford City Council secured £1m worth of funding through the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF - part of the Levelling Up Agenda). The fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK, investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and increasing people's skills.
In Oxford we’ve looked for ways to make this funding align with the priorities we already have for the city - priorities that were identified during the development and consultation of the Oxford Economic Strategy and City Centre Action Plan.
As outlined in our investment plan to government (published on our Meeting Agenda pages - see item 7) we’re using the funding to catalyse and contribute to a set of projects that we already know will achieve lasting impact in the city. This will include:
- Improving the quality and visitor experience of the city centre through investments in the public realm
- Addressing persistent economic inequality through supporting community organisations and businesses in our most deprived areas
- Helping to transition key sectors of the economy towards net zero through the development of new skills and employment pathways.
The majority of the funding will be invested in 2023/24 and 2024/25 and we’ll continue to work with relevant local partners as we develop delivery plans for these projects.
If you’re interested in discussing this further and feel you could contribute to these projects or priorities, please get in touch with the Economic Development Team via economicdevelopment@oxford.gov.uk.
