Decision
Analysis
outcome: The Portfolio Holder for Resources approved the allocation of £226,064 of REPF funding for 2025 to 2026 in consultation with relevant portfolio holders.
summary: The decision at stake is the allocation of West Suffolk Council's Rural England Prosperity Fund funding for 2025 to 2026.
topline: The Portfolio Holder for Resources has decided to allocate £226,064 of Rural England Prosperity Fund funding for 2025 to 2026.
reason_contentious: This issue is not particularly contentious as it involves the allocation of government funding for rural capital projects.
affected_stakeholders: ["West Suffolk Council", "Portfolio Holder for Resources", "Government"]
contentiousness_score: 2
political_party_relevance: There are no mentions or implications of political parties or political influence on the decision.
URL: https://democracy.westsuffolk.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=954
Decision Maker: Portfolio Holder for Resources
Outcome:
Is Key Decision?: No
Is Callable In?: Yes
Purpose: The Portfolio Holder for Resources will be asked to approve the allocation of West Suffolk Council’s Rural England Prosperity Fund funding for 2025 to 2026, in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holders. Report number CAB/WS/25/034 attached to this Notice provides further information on the background and purpose of the decision required.
Content: The Portfolio Holder for Resources will be asked to approve the allocation of West Suffolk Council’s Rural England Prosperity Fund funding for 2025 to 2026, in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holders. Report number CAB/WS/25/034 attached to this Notice provides further information on the background and purpose of the decision required. Resolved: That the allocation of West Suffolk Council’s £226,064 of Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) funding for 2025 to 2026 be allocated in consultation with the relevant portfolio holders, as set out in section 2 of Report number CAB/WS/25/034. West Suffolk Council had been allocated £226,064 from the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) for 2025 to 2026, all of which must be spent on rural capital projects and by 31 March 2026. Under the definitions of ‘rural’ issued by the Government, the funding could be spent in any part of the district other than Bury St Edmunds. Money could be spent from 1 April 2025. The Government did not require investment plans (as was the case for the 2022 to 2025 funding). Instead, the Council indicated forecast spend through the reporting process with Government. The Portfolio Holder for Resources had agreed to allocate West Suffolk’s £226,064 of REPF funding for 2025 to 2026 on the basis of the provisional allocations set out within Section 2. of Report number CAB/WS/25/034. Flexibility would be needed on the final allocations due to the need to ensure the capital funding was all spent before the deadline. So, there may be some movement between the spending areas. However, where a sum is shown as “up to”, this was the upper limit of any allocation awarded and could not be exceeded Not allocating the REPF funds to projects and initiatives in West Suffolk would mean that they would have to be returned to the Government after 31 March 2026.
Date of Decision: August 19, 2025