Neighbourhoods benefit from £2.7m to boost local shopping areas – but one area misses out

The government’s Economic Recovery Fund (ERF) gave Sheffield City Council a total of £2.7m over two rounds of funding to help boost shopping areas. Groups of businesses had to come together to apply for small grants of up to £50,000 or up to £200,000 for larger projects.

The money was spent on revitalising shopping areas with improvements such as planting, banners, benches, murals and bins as well as holding a range of community events and celebrations.

Other projects involved giving traders a skills boost and engaging with young people in the area.

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Sheffield City Council’s economic development and skills policy committee on April 3 heard that Gleadless Valley Regeneration Team took on an ERF project for Newfield Green and Gaunt Precinct after the original applicant withdrew.

A committee report said: “Whilst a good project has been delivered in Gaunt Precinct, it was not possible to progress the project at Newfield Green as the site is owned by the Crown and permission was not given to deliver the intended activities.

Obstreperous

“As a result, the Gleadless Valley Regeneration Team are looking at delivering differently over a longer timescale outside of ERF. Future work would focus on complementing the delivery at Gaunt Precinct and support the wider Gleadless Valley Masterplan work this is part of.”

The committee agreed to give the £60,000 in unspent funds for the project to the regeneration team.

Coun Henry Nottage said: “It’s been incredibly frustrating that the Crown Estate have been so obstreperous. The people of Gleadless Valley have seen so many stalled projects and delivery.”

He said he had been to see city street artist Faunagraphic completing “an absolutely gobsmacking” mural in Newfield Green which young people watching told him “slaps”. He joked that his niece told him that was high praise, almost as good as calling it peng.

Mosborough ward Coun Tony Downing said: “What a wonderful thing it’s been. People all across the city have benefited. People and businesses have been contributed to and are very grateful about what’s happening.

“It’s made a big difference to my area.”

Flexibility

Ecclesall ward Coun Barbara Masters said it has taken years to build up business confidence in the council in her ward and stressed how important it is for the legacy of the project to continue.

Kada Research were commissioned to assess the impact of the scheme and found that every £1 spent generated £3.60 in ‘social value’ – positive impact on local communities. Footfall has increased in many areas and people questioned told researchers that they visit local shopping areas more often, the committee heard.

Members debated how to divide £340,000 in total unspent funds between the city’s seven Local Area Committees (LACs), to be spent on further help for high streets. Coun Ibby Ullah proposed that most should go to economically deprived areas and others thought it should be either divided equally or go to areas that have the most potential for growth.

Council director of economy, skills and culture Diana Buckley said that flexibility had worked best during the whole process.

The committee voted to leave the final decision to the finance committee.