Sam Rowlands, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, is urging organisations to apply for funding for their community projects.
Mr Rowlands, Shadow Minister for Local Government was commenting after Flintshire County Council invited organisations to apply for a share of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
He said:
It is really important that the public have their say on how this post-Brexit funding is spent and I would urge anyone with a particular community project in mind to make sure they submit an application.
I am a great supporter of this scheme as its main focus is to encourage communities to take back control of their money and spend it on their priorities. Here in North Wales we have already seen the benefits of the UKSPF and it would be great to see many more projects receiving funding.
It is people and organisations living in our communities who know what is needed for their areas and that is why it is vital that they are listened to.
The UKSPF is a central pillar of the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda and will provide £2.6 billion of funding for local investment across the UK by March 2025. Flintshire has been awarded an allocation of just over £13 million over a three year period.
The overarching objective of the Fund is to build pride in place and increase life chances and the UKSPF aims to achieve this through three investment priorities: Community & Place; Supporting Local Business; and People & Skills. In addition, funds are available to support adult numeracy (the Multiply programme).
Flintshire County Council is working alongside the other North Wales local authorities to administer and manage the programme on a regional basis. The decision on which projects are awarded the funding is however made locally, with a partnership comprising a range of strategic stakeholders and partners advising and making recommendations on the key priorities and how the investment should be targeted.
The North Wales local authorities are looking to support large, strategic projects with a minimum value of £250,000. Project applications that involve grant programmes or another means to distribute the funds to smaller projects and other organisations and beneficiaries are encouraged. Projects should be predominantly revenue based, although small capital projects can be considered for support. All projects will need to be fully completed and claimed by December 31 2024 at the latest.
Organisations must submit their online application by no later than 12 noon Friday February 24 2023. Further information about the UKSPF and links to the relevant bidding documentation, application form and guidance can be found on the Council’s website: http://www.flintshire.gov.uk/SharedProsperityFund.
Sam Rowlands AS yn galw ar y cyhoedd i wneud cais am gyfran o Gronfa Ffyniant Gyffredin y DU
Mae Sam Rowlands, Aelod o’r Senedd dros Ogledd Cymru, yn annog sefydliadau i wneud cais am arian ar gyfer eu prosiectau cymunedol.
Roedd Mr Rowlands, Gweinidog yr Wrthblaid dros Lywodraeth Leol, yn gwneud ei sylwadau ar ôl i Gyngor Sir y Fflint wahodd mudiadau i wneud cais am gyfran o Gronfa Ffyniant Gyffredin y DU.
Meddai:
Mae'n bwysig iawn bod y cyhoedd yn cael dweud eu dweud am sut mae'r cyllid hwn ar ôl Brexit yn cael ei wario a byddwn yn annog unrhyw un sydd â phrosiect cymunedol penodol mewn golwg i sicrhau eu bod yn cyflwyno cais.
Rwy'n cefnogi’r cynllun hwn i’r carn gan mai ei brif ffocws yw annog cymunedau i hawlio’r rheolaeth yn ôl am eu harian a'i wario ar eu blaenoriaethau. Yma yn y Gogledd, rydyn ni eisoes wedi gweld manteision Cronfa Ffyniant Gyffredin y DU a byddai'n wych gweld llawer mwy o brosiectau'n derbyn cyllid.
Y bobl a’r sefydliadau sy'n byw yn ein cymunedau ni sy'n gwybod beth sydd ei angen ar gyfer eu hardaloedd a dyna pam mae'n hanfodol bod eu lleisiau’n cael eu clywed.
Mae Cronfa Ffyniant Gyffredin y DU yn un o brif sylfeini agenda ffyniant bro Llywodraeth y DU a bydd yn darparu £2.6 biliwn o gyllid ar gyfer buddsoddiad lleol ledled y DU erbyn mis Mawrth 2025. Mae Sir y Fflint wedi derbyn dyraniad o ychydig dros £13 miliwn dros gyfnod o dair blynedd.
Amcan cyffredinol y Gronfa yw meithrin balchder a chynyddu cyfleoedd bywyd a nod Cronfa Ffyniant Gyffredin y DU yw cyflawni hyn drwy dair blaenoriaeth buddsoddi: Cymuned a Lle; Cefnogi busnesau lleol; a Phobl a Sgiliau. Hefyd, mae arian ar gael i gefnogi rhifedd oedolion (y rhaglen Lluosi).
Mae Cyngor Sir y Fflint yn gweithio law yn llaw gydag awdurdodau lleol eraill y Gogledd i weinyddu a rheoli'r rhaglen yn rhanbarthol. Fodd bynnag, gwneir y penderfyniad ynghylch pa brosiectau sy’n derbyn y cyllid yn lleol, gyda phartneriaeth yn cynnwys ystod o randdeiliaid strategol, gyda phartneriaid yn cynghori a gwneud argymhellion ar y blaenoriaethau allweddol a sut y dylid targedu'r buddsoddiad.
Mae awdurdodau lleol y Gogledd am gefnogi prosiectau mawr, strategol sy’n werth o leiaf £250,000. Anogir ceisiadau prosiect sy'n cynnwys rhaglenni grant neu ddulliau eraill i ddosbarthu'r arian i brosiectau llai a sefydliadau a buddiolwyr eraill. Dylai prosiectau fod yn rhai seiliedig ar refeniw yn bennaf, er y gellir ystyried cynorthwyo prosiectau cyfalaf bach. Bydd angen cwblhau pob prosiect yn llawn a'i hawlio erbyn 31 Rhagfyr 2024 fan bellaf.
Rhaid i'r sefydliadau gyflwyno eu ceisiadau ar-lein erbyn dydd Gwener 24 Chwefror 2023 am hanner dydd fan bellaf. Mae rhagor o wybodaeth am Gronfa Ffyniant Gyffredin y DU a dolenni i’r dogfennau cynnig perthnasol, y ffurflen gais a'r canllawiau ar wefan y Cyngor: https://www.siryfflint.gov.uk/cy/Business/Regeneration/UK-Shared-Prosperity-Fund.aspx
