Businesses across Newcastle-under-Lyme are set to benefit from a share of £1.5 million in funding over the next 12 months, as part of a successful bid by Newcastle Borough Council to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
This follows three years of UKSPF investment totalling £4.8 million, supporting economic growth, skills development and community initiatives across the borough.
Twenty-three projects are set to be supported in 2025/2026 under three themes: Supporting Local Businesses, Communities and Place, and People and Skills.
Business-focused projects which will benefit include: Flourishing Keele (£140,984), which provides businesses, not-for-profits and communities with access to Keele University students and graduates, creating new jobs, encouraging graduates to stay in the area and delivering social and economic benefits; University of Staffordshire advanced digital technology and innovation (£123,140), helping businesses adopt AI, VR, robotics and other advanced technologies; and business enterprise coaching (£32,898) to support residents in deprived communities develop businesses through coaching and library-based startup hubs.
Council leader Simon Tagg said: “Due to the successful delivery of three years’ worth of programmes across our communities we have been able to bid again for more Government funding.
“As a local council we are focusing on using this money across a variety of projects that will make a difference to people and the communities they live in.”
Other projects to be funded include a worker supporting people struggling to access services quickly after discharge from hospital or prison, someone working in the community to support those with mental illness, a scheme promoting volunteering opportunities and the development of a homeless hub.
Simon Tagg added: “We are delighted to have won more funding for our communities among strong competition.
“Some of these schemes, ideas, and projects may seem quite small, but they have the potential to bring real change across the borough, helping to cement a feeling of community and define a sense of place, alongside improving opportunities for people and enhancing their skills, as well as supporting local businesses.”
A full list of recipients for 2025/26 can be found here.
