“Another win for Wrexham” after £220k award from UK Government’s ‘Community Renewal Fund’
Wrexham County Borough Council will receive £219,300 from the UK Government’s ‘Community Renewal Fund’, which will go towards two local projects.
The Community Renewal Fund bids were submitted by Wrexham Council earlier this year, with the Council leading on the process.
The first project, a town centre Development Fund to help boost Wrexham’s town centre, has been awarded £122,400. This new Development Fund will bring together property owners and agents and new businesses looking to utilise new buildings in the town centre to increase vibrancy and reduce vacant premises.
The second project £96,900 will go to a feasibility study for a Smart Local Energy System, led by the North Wales Economic Ambition board (NWEAB). This NWEAB feasibility study will then form part of the business case development process for the North Wales Growth Deal’s Smart Local Energy Project, which seeks to support the development of innovative energy solutions.
Commenting on the confirmation that Wrexham would receive this UK Government funding, the town’s MP Sarah Atherton said: “This is another win for Wrexham and our community, and it shows that the UK Government means business when it says it wants to level up the country and give communities the power to make the changes they want and need.
“I am particularly excited about the town centre Development Fund: the fund will give Wrexham businesses and property owners much needed support to continue the rejuvenation of our high street and with a personal interest in making sure our town centre gets the financial support it needs to get back on its feet, I think this is very welcome.
“In addition, the NWEAB’s feasibility study is also an exciting project that will feed into the already successful North Wales Growth Deal, announced last year and backed by £240million investment from both the UK and Welsh Governments. This feasibility study will support our region’s net zero aims and will leverage further investment into our region.”
Cllr Mark Pritchard, Leader of the Council told Wrexham.com, “I am delighted that the bids have been successful and that once again the UK Government is showing its support to Wrexham and to Wales. I would like to thank everyone involved with putting these successful funding applications together.”
Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove said: “We are determined to unite and level up our whole United Kingdom. The projects we are supporting today, from Wrexham to Caerphilly, will help communities across Wales realise their full potential, create new opportunities for the future and help us achieve net zero carbon emissions.”
Earlier this year, the Community Renewal Fund was launched to support local community projects through funding to help communities bounce back from the pandemic. The then Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government, Robert Jenrick MP, said on launching the fund that it would, “empower places to explore how best to tackle local challenges – whether through building skills, supporting local businesses, supporting communities and places, or providing employment support.”
The full list of funded projects in Wales, totalling £46m, are below :
| Lead Authority | Project Name | Total Value |
| Blaenau Gwent | Blaenau Gwent Construction & Environmental routes into employment | £50,320 |
| Blaenau Gwent | Blaenau Gwent NEET and Adult Employability Programme | £353,518 |
| Blaenau Gwent | Digital Technology Learning Support Network | £179,421 |
| Blaenau Gwent | EVi Community and Cultural Centre | £266,087 |
| Blaenau Gwent | Helping Nature Help us Recover | £179,446 |
| Blaenau Gwent | HIVE PROJECT | £145,809 |
| Blaenau Gwent | THE LIFE YOU WANT’ | £216,603 |
| Blaenau Gwent | Transforming Young Minds for Tomorrow – Trawsnewid Meddyliau Ifanc ar gyfer Yfory | £88,614 |
| Blaenau Gwent | Valleys Innovation Showcase for Technological Advancement (VISTA) | £1,008,874 |
| Blaenau Gwent | Young Enterprise Blaenau Gwent | £219,520 |
| Bridgend | Bridgend Elevate and Prosper (EAP) | £122,400 |
| Bridgend | Connecting Teachers with Industry | £57,842 |
| Bridgend | Enterprise Bridgend | £217,389 |
| Bridgend | THE LIFE YOU WANT’ | £204,300 |
| Bridgend | Transforming Young Minds for Tomorrow – Trawsnewid Meddyliau Ifanc ar gyfer Yfory | £88,614 |
| Bridgend | Women’s focussed Incubator for Ambitious Entrepreneurs in Bridgend. | £94,605 |
| Caerphilly | Engaging Enterprise | £811,074 |
| Caerphilly | Enterprise Caerphilly | £217,389 |
| Caerphilly | THE LIFE YOU WANT’ | £204,300 |
| Caerphilly | Women’s focussed Incubator for Ambitious Entrepreneurs in Caerphilly | £94,605 |
| Cardiff | Beicio Treganna Cycle | £6,630 |
| Cardiff | Connecting and caring for Grangetown’s Green Spaces | £66,876 |
| Cardiff | Cycling Together | £15,300 |
| Cardiff | Employer Needs, Future Workers! | £68,763 |
| Cardiff | Enterprise Cardiff | £219,520 |
| Cardiff | Migrant Employment Assistance Wales / MEA Wales | £110,632 |
| Cardiff | Priority Sector Skills Academies | £138,284 |
| Cardiff | Rapid Reskilling | £156,892 |
| Cardiff | The Cardiff Circular Economy Network (CCEN) | £53,807 |
| Carmarthenshire | Banc Sgiliau Busnes Sir Gar/ Business Skills Bank Sir Gar (BSB Sir Gar) | £110,160 |
| Carmarthenshire | Carmarthenshire Towns Recovery & growth pilot | £226,746 |
| Carmarthenshire | Carmarthenshire’s Old Towns – Their Past, Present and Potential | £187,152 |
| Carmarthenshire | Digging Beneath the Surface – Archives, Archaeology and Access in Carmarthenshire | £286,944 |
| Carmarthenshire | Dreigiau CYCA Dragons Y cyfle i fynnu – the opportunity to thrive | £234,662 |
| Carmarthenshire | Enterprise Carmarthenshire | £201,064 |
| Carmarthenshire | Llanelli Town Centre Ambassador and Delivery Service Project | £181,101 |
| Carmarthenshire | Rapid Skills Shortage Response | £824,947 |
| Carmarthenshire | Regenerating Llanelli | £146,880 |
| Carmarthenshire | Revitalise Rhydaman | £151,470 |
| Carmarthenshire | Supporting the Welsh language in business and communties | £81,600 |
| Carmarthenshire | THE LIFE YOU WANT ‘ | £312,197 |
| Ceredigion | AberInnovation Productivity Accelerator | £450,330 |
| Ceredigion | AnTir Feasibility Project | £170,261 |
| Ceredigion | BioAccelerate | £218,331 |
| Ceredigion | Building the Resilience of Historic Visitor Attractions By Developing Volunteer Ability | £7,191 |
| Ceredigion | Canolfan Tir Glas | £497,760 |
| Ceredigion | Enabling the Recovery of Ceredigion Towns | £244,703 |
| Ceredigion | Enterprise Ceredigion | £217,389 |
| Ceredigion | Lle i Weithio | £101,550 |
| Ceredigion | Mid Wales Challenge Led Launch Pad Series | £565,789 |
| Ceredigion | New Skills New Start | £231,030 |
| Ceredigion | Reverb | £75,212 |
| Ceredigion | Rural Community Engagement and Outreach Project | £51,000 |
| Conwy | Conwy Skills & Employability Programme for Recovery and Growth | £270,893 |
| Conwy | Conwy Tourism Innovation Hub | £850,093 |
| Conwy | Creating opportunities for Culture-led renewal: Conwy Culture Strategy Development | £219,842 |
| Conwy | Digital and Creative Conwy | £442,900 |
| Conwy | Digital support platforms for businesses and communities in Conwy | £75,480 |
| Conwy | Llandudno Bay Promenade enhancement | £51,000 |
| Conwy | Research on the impact of Covid19 on our town Centres | £91,800 |
| Conwy | Rural Conwy Community Support and Development | £141,287 |
| Conwy | Towyn & Kinmel Bay Community Connections Project | £63,507 |
| Conwy | Transforming Young Minds for Tomorrow – Trawsnewid Meddyliau Ifanc ar gyfer Yfory | £88,614 |
| Denbighshire | Blossom & Bloom – Community Outreach | £102,719 |
| Denbighshire | Cam Ymlaen / Step Forward (Pilot) – Take that step forward to employment | £40,464 |
| Denbighshire | Community Innovation Denbighshire | £554,749 |
| Denbighshire | Cowork Local (Denbighshire) | £489,549 |
| Denbighshire | Denbighshire STEM Connect | £406,832 |
| Denbighshire | Digital Manufacturing Support Cymru Programme (DIMAS Programme) | £629,341 |
| Denbighshire | Economic Empowerment Project | £113,387 |
| Denbighshire | Employability Skills | £10,200 |
| Denbighshire | Feasibility Study of a multi-vector Smart Local Energy System in Denbighshire County | £96,900 |
| Denbighshire | Not Being Left Out | £10,324 |
| Denbighshire | Pixel Engagement Programme | £109,133 |
| Denbighshire | READY | £168,306 |
| Denbighshire | Transforming Young Minds for Tomorrow – Trawsnewid Meddyliau Ifanc ar gyfer Yfory | £88,614 |
| Denbighshire | Y TÅ· Gwyrdd | £69,691 |
| Gwynedd | Digital Gwynedd | £157,993 |
| Gwynedd | Enterprising Communities | £463,203 |
| Gwynedd | Feasibility Study of a multi-vector Smart Local Energy System in Gwynedd County | £107,100 |
| Gwynedd | Gwynedd Digital and Net Zero Business Academy | £340,077 |
| Gwynedd | Llwybrau Mawddwy Cymru [Mawddwy Trails Wales] | £45,900 |
| Gwynedd | Prosiect Net Zero Gwynedd | £600,987 |
| Gwynedd | Sesiwn Fawr Development Project | £45,900 |
| Gwynedd | Team Around the Young Person | £387,600 |
| Gwynedd | Training and experience in the outdoor sector in Gwynedd. | £512,420 |
| Isle of Anglesey | Adfywio Mon Renewal Programme | £591,600 |
| Isle of Anglesey | Cefnogi Busnesau Môn | £217,062 |
| Isle of Anglesey | Feasibility Study of a multi-vector Smart Local Energy System in Isle of Anglesey County | £96,900 |
| Isle of Anglesey | Innovation Island | £924,017 |
| Isle of Anglesey | Môn Ymlaen | £372,666 |
| Isle of Anglesey | Providing high quality Level 4 Health and Social Care Education in North Wales | £517,915 |
| Merthyr Tydfil | Creative Industry Training Programme | £1,027,119 |
| Merthyr Tydfil | Encouraging Enterprise | £555,170 |
| Merthyr Tydfil | H FACTOR Carbon Economy College (CEC) | £218,360 |
| Merthyr Tydfil | Merthyr’s Roots – a living landscape | £173,135 |
| Monmouthshire | Caldicot Community Partnership | £82,309 |
| Monmouthshire | Carbon Free Future | £136,680 |
| Monmouthshire | Digital Customer Acquisition: Moving the Needle | £606,334 |
| Monmouthshire | iConnect | £122,611 |
| Monmouthshire | Space for Local Production – SFLP | £167,063 |
| Monmouthshire | The Future is Us – young people have their say | £168,491 |
| Monmouthshire | The Zero Carbon Llanarth Village Plan | £122,400 |
| Monmouthshire | Transforming MonLife’s Major Assets | £467,620 |
| Monmouthshire | Wye Valley River Festival CIC Growing Community Interests | £169,848 |
| Neath Port Talbot | A roadmap for restoring, enhancing and connecting Green Infrastructure for people and nature in a post-industrial landscape | £446,865 |
| Neath Port Talbot | Digital Bridges -Bridging the Digital Divide | £315,251 |
| Neath Port Talbot | JOBSTART | £510,000 |
| Neath Port Talbot | Neath Port Talbot Third Sector Grant Scheme | £510,000 |
| Neath Port Talbot | Next Steps – Employability Support and Work Experience | £509,543 |
| Neath Port Talbot | Supporting Business Growth and Innovation | £120,715 |
| Newport | Business Support in Pillgwenlly | £60,741 |
| Newport | Development of Welsh Institute of Digital Information (WIDI), Research and Development Centre in Newport | £745,617 |
| Newport | Foot in the Door | £858,642 |
| Newport | Greening Maindee | £176,480 |
| Newport | Newport 360 | £408,642 |
| Newport | Sgiliau | £335,457 |
| Newport | Young Enterprise Newport | £217,389 |
| Pembrokeshire | Climate Adaptation – Addressing climate risks in Pembrokeshire’s Communities | £50,175 |
| Pembrokeshire | Developing the Pembroke Town Walls Management Plan | £119,484 |
| Pembrokeshire | Ecosystem Enterprise Partnership – Building Natural Solutions | £142,943 |
| Pembrokeshire | ESP – Enterprise & Skills Pembrokeshire | £1,388,102 |
| Pembrokeshire | Feasibility Study – Winter Toursim in North East Pembrokeshire | £242,835 |
| Pembrokeshire | Passion & Parking at Freshwater West – working together for a sustainable future | £61,342 |
| Pembrokeshire | Pembrokeshire Open to All | £78,465 |
| Pembrokeshire | Resourceful Communities: Towards a wellbeing economy | £522,598 |
| Pembrokeshire | Thrive Project | £316,950 |
| Powys | Enterprise Powys | £217,389 |
| Powys | Green Heart of Wales/Zero Carbon Mid Wales | £523,962 |
| Powys | Montgomery Canal restoration feasibility | £336,666 |
| Powys | Powys Community Skills Initiative | £764,863 |
| Powys | Powys County Council – Go Green To Get Clean. | £408,000 |
| Powys | Powys Localities Initiative | £428,232 |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf | Connecting Teachers with Industry | £89,899 |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf | Focus Enterprise RCT | £217,389 |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf | Heel Your High Street | £624,121 |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf | Ideas to Innovation (I2I) | £559,526 |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf | Improving Deaf Awareness and supporting people with hearing loss in the Community | £67,626 |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf | RCT 360 | £597,937 |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf | Reconnect Youth Project | £53,006 |
| Swansea | Community-led Sustainable Transport Solutions – Investing in Communities and Place | £128,821 |
| Swansea | Cowork Local (Swansea) | £331,891 |
| Swansea | Dragon Energy Island – Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon | £202,650 |
| Swansea | Enterprise Swansea | £199,734 |
| Swansea | Pathways to Work Swansea | £764,444 |
| Swansea | Penderi Green Regeneration | £223,029 |
| Swansea | People with Disabilities Employability and Enterprise Project (Swansea Project) | £139,855 |
| Swansea | Swansea Business Support and Green Recovery | £583,766 |
| Swansea | Time to Learn and Work | £94,131 |
| Torfaen | A Complete Digital Package for Torfaen Businesses | £385,560 |
| Torfaen | CELT (Connect, Engage, Listen, Transform) | £1,927,860 |
| Torfaen | Food 4 Growth | £618,403 |
| Torfaen | Pontypool & Blaenavon Small Business Support Project | £154,494 |
| Torfaen | Stepping Stones | £338,038 |
| Torfaen | THE LIFE YOU WANT’ | £204,300 |
| Torfaen | Young Enterprise Torfaen | £232,689 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | Barry Bands Together – Coummity Regeneration through Musical Partnership | £124,437 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | Cowork Local (Vale of Glamorgan) | £453,849 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | Enterprise Vale | £106,867 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | Foundational Economy – Innovation in Procurement. | £77,643 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | Priority Sector Skills Academies | £147,141 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | Project Zero Feasibility Study | £61,200 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | STEP IN | £91,294 |
| Wrexham | Empty Property Options Development Fund (Town Centre Vibrancy) | £122,400 |
| Wrexham | Feasibility Study of a multi-vector Smart Local Energy System in Wrexham County | £96,900 |
Spotted something? Got a story? Email [email protected]
