• 17 projects to benefit from first tranche of £230 million investment in football facilities across the UK to level up access to quality sport provision.

• Improvements to be made in partnership with the Football Association of Wales.

Grassroots football facilities across Wales will benefit from an initial £1.3 million of UK Government funding for improvements, as part of a major commitment to levelling up access to physical activity across the nation.

Seventeen projects across Wales will receive funding to create and improve pitches, changing rooms and pavilions, so that more local communities can access high-quality facilities.

Projects have been chosen for their ability to deliver improved facilities in deprived areas, support multi-sport use and increase participation among currently under-represented groups, including women, girls and disabled players.

Examples include Baglan Football Field in Rhondda Cynon Taf, which will receive £100,000 towards converting their grass pitch to 3G artificial grass, improving facilities for the women’s game and catering for the needs of everyone in the community. Over £57,000 has been granted to Ysgol y Grango School Club Hub in Wrexham to provide better facilities for more community clubs. £35,000 will go to upgrading the surface and replacing floodlights at Cae Piod in Ceredigion.

A full list of funded projects can be found here.

The funding, combined with contributions from clubs and other local partners, will improve the quality of community facilities, bring people together to enjoy playing sport in their local area, regenerate communities and enhance social cohesion.

It forms part of a £25 million UK-wide investment in grassroots facilities during this financial year, out of a total of £230 million set to be invested to help to build or upgrade up to 8,000 quality pitches across the UK over the next four years. The funding will also support the construction or refurbishment of clubhouses, changing facilities and community buildings.

The Football Association of Wales is delivering the programme on behalf of the UK Government in Wales. Following the UK Government’s commitment, the Welsh Government has also opted to invest £1.3 million to improve grassroots facilities this year – the FAW is working with both governments to maximise the benefits of this combined investment for local communities.

UK Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said:

We are committed to improving access to high quality sports facilities for the underprivileged and underrepresented in Wales.

From female changing rooms at Treborth Playing Fields in Bangor to new pitches in Welshpool and Swansea, this will ensure more people can enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of sport at top class facilities in their local community.

Secretary of State for Wales Simon Hart said:

“Grassroots football clubs are at the heart of their communities, providing sporting opportunities but also bringing incalculable health and social benefits to local children and adults.

“They play a hugely important role and I’m thrilled that the UK Government is making this investment in facilities the length and breadth of Wales which will help the clubs and groups receiving this funding to continue their fantastic work.”

The Football Association of Wales is pleased to be working closely with the UK and Welsh Governments to improve facilities across Wales and are grateful for their support.

Improving the facilities across Wales is the FAW’s number one strategic objective. This initial round of funding marks the beginning of an exciting journey, and the FAW will continue to work closely with all of its stakeholders, to create a facilities investment fund in order to deliver impactful projects across all corners of Wales as we strive to make football inclusive and accessible to all.

Today’s announcement follows a joint ‘Expression of Interest’ submitted to UEFA by the Football Associations of England, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales on Wednesday (23 March).

The Governments of the UK, Ireland, Scotland and Wales have confirmed their support for the EOI submission and, given the Northern Ireland Executive is currently not meeting formally, officials there continue to observe the process closely.

Formal discussions on the technical specifications for the tournament are expected to take place with European football’s governing body over the coming weeks, before a final decision is made on submitting a formal bid.

On the prospects of hosting UEFA EURO 2028, Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston added:

This is welcome news from the FAs, and the Government remains committed to working closely with them and our partners in the Government of Ireland and the Devolved Administrations to bring UEFA’s flagship festival of international football to the UK and Ireland.

Our unprecedented partnership creates the potential for the best EUROs ever, and we are passionate about bringing another world-leading sporting event here, creating a real celebration of football for people across the UK and Ireland.

The government continues to demonstrate its commitment to sport and recreation, recently announcing that it is also investing £30 million to refurbish more than 4,500 tennis courts across the UK.

The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, has today (25 March 2022) confirmed Bernadette Conroy as the new Chair of the Regulator of Social Housing. The appointment follows a hearing by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee on Monday 21 March, after which they endorsed her suitability for the role.

She has been appointed for a period of three years, commencing on 1 April 2022.

Minister for Rough Sleeping, Eddie Hughes MP, said:

I am delighted to appoint Bernadette Conroy as the new Chair of the Regulator of Social Housing.

Bernadette brings with her a wealth of experience which will be invaluable as we transform how the social housing sector is regulated and I look forward to working closely with her over the next three years.

Chair of the Regulator of Social Housing, Bernadette Conroy, said:

I am honoured to be appointed as the new Chair of the Regulator of Social Housing. This is a challenging time in the sector as we look to implement the enhanced regulation set out in the Social Housing White Paper.

I look forward to building on the strong leadership of my predecessor, Simon Dow, as we create a more diverse Regulator that embraces proactive consumer regulation.

Bernadette Conroy is an experienced Chair and Non-Executive Director (NED) operating across a number of sectors. These include financial services regulation, where she is a NED for the Financial Conduct Authority and housing, where she is Chair of Network Homes. She is also the Independent Chair of the Buildings and Estates Committee of Cambridge University with responsibility for the development and maintenance of the University’s estate and its capital build programme and a NED for Milton Keynes Development Partnerships. Prior to taking on a non-executive portfolio, Bernadette held a number of executive roles in financial services, latterly as Global Head of Strategy and Planning for HSBC Corporate, Investment Banking and Markets. She has an MA in Mathematics from Cambridge University and an MBA from INSEAD. In 2020, Bernadette received the Sunday Times Not for Profit Non-Executive Director of the Year award.

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) is one of DLUHC’s key arm’s length bodies. It seeks to promote a viable, efficient, and well governed social housing sector able to deliver homes that meet a range of needs. The RSH is also responsible for regulation of consumer standards, ensuring that existing tenants are provided with homes that are safe, and that landlords deliver good services.

Bodies such as the RSH are one of the ways the government is improving the lived experience of social housing tenants and ensuring they can hold landlords to account. The Charter for Social Housing Residents: Social Housing White Paper, published in November 2020, recognised the fundamental role of effective regulation in protecting and empowering social housing tenants, ensuring that landlords are effectively held to account to deliver the services expected of them.

It set out the government’s commitment to significantly expand the Regulator of Social Housing, legislating to remove the ‘serious detriment’ test (where there is evidence of a standards breach at organisational level) and introduce a new, proactive approach to regulation of consumer issues such as quality of homes, landlord services and transparency, while maintaining robust economic regulation of the sector. Regulation of the social rented sector will also play support delivery of the commitment made in the Levelling Up White Paper to reduce non-decency in the rented sectors by 50%.

The Panel for the campaign was made up of:

• Lord Gary Porter, Panel Chair, Departmental Non-Executive Director
• Tracey Waltho, Director General Housing and Planning, Departmental official
• Debbie Gillatt, Senior Independent Panel Member

The UK and Scottish governments have today set out their shared vision for what Green Freeports in Scotland should look like, with bidding now open for the ground-breaking sites (25 March 2022).

A new prospectus for potential bidders sets out how the Green Freeports will regenerate local areas, create high quality jobs and support transition to a net zero economy.

Consortiums will have 12 weeks from today to assess the prospectus and prepare their bids, which will be jointly assessed by officials working together from the UK and Scottish governments, with ministers having an equal say on the final selection.

This comes after a landmark agreement was reached earlier this year by the governments to collaborate on two new Green Freeports, with £52 million in UK government funding provided.

Both governments are looking for Green Freeports in locations that take full advantage of the diverse potential of Scotland’s communities and welcome proposals from a wide range of groups.

Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove MP said:

I’m proud that today we have launched the bidding process for Green Freeports. They are a key part of our levelling up agenda, and will bring jobs and prosperity to the successful areas.

We have worked closely with the Scottish Government to ensure that Green Freeports support their transition to the net zero economy and help to regenerate local areas.

I am excited to see the innovative proposals come forward, and these Green Freeports built so they can start to deliver for the people of Scotland.

Applicants are being encouraged to show how the new Green Freeports will:

• Help boost the Scottish economy. This includes boosting the number of skilled jobs available for local people and creating an economy that makes a positive contribution internationally, delivering high quality, fair work for everyone.
• Support Scotland’s transition to a net zero economy by reducing emissions and responding to climate change in a way that is fair for Scotland’s communities. For example, making sure that vessels using the port reduce the use of fossil fuels.
• Form strong partnerships with ports, local businesses, academic institutions and local authorities that will contribute to both the net zero and levelling up agendas.
• Bring new investment into the surrounding areas and increase trade. This could be through developing specific spaces to develop and trial new ideas and technologies, and supporting innovative new firms.
• Advance equality and diversity, particularly for groups who are currently underrepresented in the Freeport industries and show how people affected by socio-economic disadvantage can benefit.

Scottish Government Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said:

This joint prospectus recognises the distinct needs of Scotland’s economy by clearly setting out how any bids to establish Green Freeports in Scotland must help deliver net zero ambitions and embed fair work practices.

Earlier this month I published a new national strategy to help transform the economy. This included clear commitments that will help create good quality green jobs, deliver fairer working conditions, secure our just transition to net zero and grow international markets that bring new supply chain benefits to all of Scotland. Green Freeports will be an important vehicle to help deliver these ambitions.

Teesside Freeport, which has recently begun operations, is estimated to create more than 18,000 new highly skilled jobs and generate £3.2 billion for the local community over 5 years. It is anticipated that the new Green Freeports will create similar benefits across Scotland.

It is expected that the successful Green Freeport locations will be announced in early autumn 2022, beginning operations in spring 2023.

Secretary of State for Scotland, Alister Jack said:

The UK government is investing £52 million to bring two Green Freeports to Scotland, working jointly with the Scottish Government. UK Freeports are a key part of the UK government’s Levelling Up Strategy – they will bring inward investment, jobs, prosperity and regeneration.

It’s great news that the prospectus has now been published and bids are now being welcomed. I know there is a huge amount of interest from Scottish operators, and I look forward to a really strong and creative field.

• Read the bidding prospectus for Green Freeports in Scotland.
• Applicants and multi-applicant partnerships must submit their proposals to the Department for Levelling Up and Communities by 10.00 on 20 June 2022, 12 weeks from the date of publication of this prospectus. Proposals should be submitted via the Green Freeports application portal
• Freeports are special areas within the UK’s borders where different economic regulations apply. Freeports are centred around one or more air, rail, or seaport, but can extend up to 45km beyond the port(s).

Read more information on the ground-breaking deal to establish two new Green Freeports in Scotland.