UK Shared Prosperity Fund update

Over the last four years, Hastings Borough Council has received almost £1.5 million from the UK Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). The funding was focused initially in Broomgrove with £1 million to spend between 2022 and 2025. An additional allocation of £473,873 was given to us for 2025-26 and following the success of the Broomgrove projects, it was decided to expand the funding across Northeast Hastings with a particular focus on Downs Farm. 

In the last year, the funding has paid for projects including: Groundwork South to hold green engagement projects which includes after school sessions for children across Downs Farm, Halton and Farley Bank; physical activity through Active Hastings including seated exercise classes; business advice and support through Let’s Do Business; skills and employability via East Sussex County Council, a social supermarket in Broomgrove and  development work for further food projects with Hastings Food Bank; solar panels at Ore Community Library; improvements to the roof at Ore Community Centre; improved lighting in Downs Farm and improvements to Ore Cemetery; and part-funding Hastings and St Leonards Men’s Shed to be able to purchase the building they operate from.  

Due to the success of the project, an additional £150,000 was agreed in the Hastings Borough Council budget for 2026-27 to continue some of these projects with a local focus. There is also £1million of funding in our 2027-28 budget. 

Cllr Glenn Haffenden, leader of the council and lead councillor for community wellbeing, said: “This funding has allowed us to focus on some  community-led projects, focusing on areas and things that residents have told us they want us to concentrate on. This hyper-local focus has allowed us to make the biggest difference with this funding. I've been really excited to go and visit some of these projects and see the difference they are making to people’s lives. I’m really pleased that we have been able to agree to spend £150,000 from the Hastings Borough Council budget for 2026 to 2027, with another £1million available for 2027-28 to continue what has been started through this good work.” 

You can watch a short video, find out more about the UKSPF programme and the projects that have been supported on our website. 

Editors’ Note: 

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is the government’s domestic replacement for the European Structural and Investment Programme (ESIF). It provides local authorities funding for communities, places, businesses, people and skills.