Millions of pounds of funding which has helped a community transport project buy a new minibus and a company train nearly 200 people in hospitality in Carmarthenshire is continuing for another year, but at a lower level than currently.

The UK’s Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF), brought in by the previous Conservative Government three years ago to replace European Union (EU) funding, runs until the end of March but is being extended by 12 months.

SPF money is parcelled out by councils to qualifying projects and organisations in their area, and Carmarthenshire is getting £12.9 million for 2025-26. Cabinet members have approved a report which confirmed the “transition year” sum and how it can be spent.

Dolen Teifi Community Transport secured around £57,000 of SPF money to help buy a fully accessible 17-seater minibus to operate in the Gwendraeth Valley. It has around 30 vehicles providing affordable transport for groups and residents in Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.

Rod Bowen, Dolen Teifi community support development officer, said the new minibus was being well-used and that demand for such transport had grown considerably since the Covid pandemic, particularly for hospital appointments. “We’ve got an older population, and a lot of non-emergency hospital transport isn’t able to cover rural areas,” he said.

Dolen Teifi had to provide 20% match-funding to secure the SPF grant. Mr Bowen said the grant was really valuable. “We have a lifelong legacy for the community,” he said of the minibus.

A company called Really Pro Ltd secured SPF money last year to run short hospitality courses. Really Pro director Kelly Munroe said the Hospitality Academic project, as it’s known, has benefited 187 individuals and 26 businesses in Carmarthenshire with courses in things like food hygiene, allergy awareness and first aid training. She said: “We have got some amazing case studies.”

She added that many such projects wouldn’t happen without SPF and its predecessor pots of funding. In her view the SPF scheme has had the most impact because of the way outcomes were reported and measured. “Funding like this is essential,” she said.

SPF transition year funding for 2025-26 is £902 million for the UK, less than the current financial year but with deprived areas prioritised. Cllr Alun Lenny, Carmarthenshire’s cabinet member for resources, said it was also less than had come via the EU. “Unfortunately that is the result of the vote on Brexit,” he said, although he hoped the £12.9 million could still make a positive difference.

Carmarthenshire Council will assess and approve applications seeking a share of the £12.9 million and carry out monitoring. Swansea Council will continue to act as the lead SPF local authority for south-west Wales and have overall accountability for the funding.