MORE than £2million will be directed to St Helens to support three projects aiming to boost job creation and the local economy.

St Helens was identified as one of the government’s 100 “priority places” from the UK Community Renewal Fund when the fund was launched.

The government introduced the fund as it prepared for the launch of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in 2022, which will replace EU Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF).

The intention of the fund is “to support people and communities in need across the UK. It will invest in skills, communities, businesses, and by supporting people into employment”.

The money was secured for St Helens through the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA).

St Helens Pathways into Employment: £744,695 – An integrated package of employment support initiatives, which will enhance and expand the existing local offer, supporting residents to progress towards employment by using successful local delivery platforms. St Helens Ways to Work will be at the heart of delivery, enabling these new approaches to be put in place quickly.

Clean Green & Advanced Manufacturing Skills for the Future: £629,747 – Working with local businesses, colleges, universities, training providers and schools to discover how best to ensure the local economy has the skills needed to create clean/green growth in St Helens and to further strengthen the advanced manufacturing sector. The project aims to inspire future generations to see how they can gain careers in this growing sector, providing a future workforce.

Licence to Work Pathways: £622,482 – A proposal to move St Helens residents into well-paid, high-skilled employment within growth areas. Activity will up-skill unemployed residents, ensuring they have the skills to get a job within the digital infrastructure, construction or logistics sectors, gaining licences to work and enabling them to start careers at, or above, the national salary average.

In a statement Councillor David Baines, leader of St Helens Council, said: “I very much welcome this funding which will make a real difference to the prospects of people in St Helens.

"One of the best ways that we can tackle economic inequality is by ensuring equality of opportunity.

"Enabling people to develop the right skills for the modern workplace and making sure that they are ready for work is hugely important and gives people a fighting chance to fulfil their potential.”

The region's combined authority was responsible for inviting, assessing and selecting bids sent to the government for consideration and will pay grants to the successful projects and manage their performance.

In selecting the bids forwarded to the government for consideration, the authority prioritised those with the greatest potential to deliver against the following key local growth priorities:

1. Investment in skills

2. Investment in local business

3. Investment in communities and place

4. Supporting people into employment