Tameside has been awarded £2 million to improve public realm and greenspaces and support cultural activities following a successful proposal to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. 

The borough has been allocated £1,979,141 in Communities and Place funding which will be issued in set amounts throughout 2023 and until March 2025.

The UKSPF is a national £2.6bn fund designed to succeed and improve upon EU structural funds and proposals from Greater Manchester authorities focused on contributing to the city region’s 2038 net zero ambitions, reducing inequalities, and embedding social value.

The priorities include a series of borough-wide projects to improve greenspaces and cultural activities as well as town centre initiatives including Stalybridge Civic Hall, and work in Hyde and Ashton to support levelling up and master planning projects.

Funding will be used to deliver a programme of cultural activities within parks and countryside as well as supporting projects across council-owned parks and countryside sites: including repairs to existing footpaths in the countryside; play equipment for young people with disabilities; cycle parking in parks and funding for replacement town centre litterbins. 

Bids designed to deliver genuine levelling up opportunities across Tameside were submitted last October to the UKSPF Communities and Place and SME Workspace investment priorities.

Further confirmation on the SME Workspace submission is anticipated in the coming weeks.

Councillor David Sweeton, Tameside Council Executive Member for Inclusive Growth, Business and Employment, said: “I’m delighted we’re receiving this funding which we can use to invest in projects supporting improvements to our town centres, community spaces and cultural offer in line with our Inclusive Growth Strategy.

“We will consult and collaborate with partners to deliver these projects and remain committed to delivering genuine opportunities for growth and development for residents and businesses. We will always seek opportunities to bring further investment into the borough and will continue to develop proposals for funding opportunities where they become available.” 

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