Research and analysis

Chesterfield UKSPF evaluation: interim findings

Updated 3 December 2025

Applies to England

Executive summary: Chesterfield interim findings

Introduction

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) provides a total of £3.5 billion of funding for local investment over four years (2022 to 2026), with all places in the UK receiving an allocation via a funding formula. Local decision-makers work with their local communities and partners to deliver interventions under three investment priorities: Communities and Place, Supporting Local Businesses and People and Skills.

This interim report presents the emerging findings from the place level evaluation of UKSPF in Chesterfield, based on research conducted between January and March 2025. It outlines the progress made to date and presents interim evaluation findings.

Key process evaluation findings

Intervention design

• Chesterfield Borough Council (CBC) designed the UKSPF programme by focusing on local priorities and needs identified in existing strategies and plans, and by consulting with local actors.
• UKSPF’s fixed allocation of funding to local authorities saved time and resources compared to a competitive application.
• The flexibility of UKSPF allowed CBC to implement the portfolio autonomously at local level, ensuring the interventions addressed local needs.

Portfolio implementation

• CBC managed the UKSPF portfolio, with a high degree of oversight over the interventions.
• There was a good level of collaboration between the different CBC departments leading interventions, and providers showed strong interest in responding to the procurement exercises.
• CBC faced challenges due to the short timeframe between designing and implementing the interventions, with only a few months to complete essential administrative activities such as procurement.

Intervention delivery

• Intervention delivery has proceeded as planned, with no significant issues reported, thanks to the clear expectations and rules in place, the skills and experience of the delivery partners, and continuity of many interventions already in place pre-UKSPF.
• The flexibility of UKSPF enabled delivery partners to customise activities to meet the needs of local recipients and facilitated project coordination across thematic areas.
• The timing of the ‘People and Skills’ intervention created challenges identifying suitable trainers and encouraging the uptake of low carbon grants.

Data collection and monitoring

• Project leads reported that the monitoring plan was well structured and that they experienced no administrative burden in collecting data.
• Some outcomes, especially for business support, take longer to realise and will not be achieved during the delivery period.

Programme oversight

• A senior officer from CBC’s Economic Development Team manages the day-to-day UKSPF operations and is supported by a UKSPF Programme Monitoring Assistant.
• Interviewees reported that the frequent monitoring meetings have been particularly effective in maximising USKPF spend within the delivery period.

Progress to date: expenditure, outputs and outcomes

Spending across all interventions aligns with plans. Communities and Place interventions have made substantial progress against expected outputs, with many exceeding targets. The Community Grants Programme and the Community Development Workers reached a large number of organisations, creating volunteering opportunities and supporting vulnerable communities in Chesterfield’s most deprived areas.

Marketing interventions like the Chesterfield Inspire Campaign and Destination Chesterfield boosted tourism awareness and the Enhanced Events Programme improved perceptions of the city centre. Upgrades to play areas, open spaces and sport facilities across the town further enhanced local amenities. Crime and ASB perception declined aided by new physical equipment, including 13 new mobile CCTV camera and increased numbers of uniformed enforcement officers.

Business support interventions provided non-financial support, grants and advisory services helping businesses to set up, grow, enhance workforce skills and become more carbon efficient. Many interventions exceeded targets, reaching a larger number of businesses than initially planned, resulting in jobs and new businesses created, and adoption of new technologies or processes resulting in productivity gains. Early evidence on the outcomes from the UKSPF supporting business interventions are promising, with many outcomes expected in the future.

People and Skills outputs, including training activities (i.e. digital inclusion, workforce readiness and skills in sustainability and digital) exceeded targets for number of attendees. The delivery period for People and Skills interventions (Year 3 only) means that outcome data is limited, although there is some encouraging evidence with UKPSF activities providing advisory, educational and training services targeted at individuals, which is expected to result in increased workforce knowledge and skills in Chesterfield in the future.

Early impact findings

Early evidence indicates that UKSPF funding is already making a difference across Chesterfield. Crime and anti-social behaviour interventions have resulted in a reported increased sense of safety in the target areas and a more proactive approach to crime prevention from law enforcement. Evidence suggests that the community development interventions, leisure opportunities for young people and improvements to parks and open spaces have supported broader wellbeing benefits. These interventions, together with the events organised in the town centre, which saw increased footfall, have improved perceptions of the town.

There is evidence that UKSPF-funded projects have increased voluntary and community organisation activity and reach in Chesterfield. There are many examples of the positive impact on businesses, including companies modernising processes and moving away from manual systems to a more integrated and automated approach, developing new growth plans and identifying new market opportunities.

The outcomes and impact of UKSPF in Chesterfield will be explored in more depth in the final evaluation report.