Sheffield Council approves second part of ‘successful’ Economic Recovery Fund projects

Members of Sheffield Council’s economic development and skills policy committee discussed the second round of the “successful” Economic Recovery Fund (ERF) at the town hall yesterday (March 20).

A report published ahead of the meeting stated that initially the ERF – “a unique, innovative grant fund” that aims to support local economic recovery in district and local centres – was set up in the city’s Covid Business Recovery Plan in March 2021.

A second round was launched in February 2023 and following a period of application, scoring and review a further 23 projects were approved (by the Finance Committee) and lead organisations for these projects were required to enter funding agreements with the council, the report added.

The 23 projects were approved in the following areas:

Abbeydale, Banner Cross, Broomhill, Chapeltown, Crookes, Darnall, Ecclesfield, Firth Park, Greenhill, Hackenthorpe, Harborough Avenue, Newfield Green and Gaunt Shopping Precinct, Hillsborough, Infirmary Road, London Road, Lowedges, Middlewood, Northern Avenue, Spital Hill, Stannington, Walkley, Westfield, Woodhouse

The report said all but one of the ERF projects have now entered into funding agreements and are in delivery.

Unforeseen circumstances caused one of the proposals (for Heeley Green and Newfield Green) to be withdrawn by its lead organisation – it is now replaced by the Newfield Green and Gaunt Shopping Precinct project.

The project would be led by the council’s internal Gleadless Valley Regeneration Team, which requested a funding allocation of £120k to deliver the project across the two retail areas (Newfield Green and Gaunt Shopping Precinct).

Some Christmas events in December 2023 were already funded by ERF and in the next period spring events are also being scheduled in some of those areas mentioned above – including Spring Trail and Makers Market in Firth Park (on March 23) or Easter Bonnet Market and Parade in Woodhouse at the end of this month.

The report said: “In total, through the course of delivery it is anticipated that over 600 individual elements (street scene installation, street art, greening, events, shop front improvements, business network development) will be delivered in ERF2.”

The delivery period will run to the end of December 2024 for most projects – with some projects running to March 2025.

The £2million funding allocated for ERF Round 2 is the council’s own funding from the New Homes Bonus and was agreed by the council during the budget setting process in February 2022.