Newport Horizon

• IW Biosphere: an application will be made to UNESCO in 2018, a decision is likely in spring 2019. If successful, the Island will achieve a global accolade and join a worldwide network of cities and regions. Newport will be the capital of the IW Biosphere.

• Medina Valley Landscape Partnership: following on from the successful east and west Wight schemes, there are proposals for a new bid to HLF for the Medina Valley. Newport should be its core and anchor.

• Newport Minster and St. Thomas’ Square: the church will be applying for HLF funding in 2018, for structural repairs but also a change in the layout and function of the public spaces, inside and out, that it offers. Shaping Newport can work with the bidding team, and the wider Newport clergy, to engage the church estate in the regeneration effort (fitting well with the ‘Hope 2018’ initiative).

• New national and regional funding initiatives during and postBrexit (e.g. the Shared Prosperity Fund replacing EU structural funds) will present new opportunities. It is essential that Newport acts as a ‘lightning rod’ for the whole Island in this context through the creation of a ‘funding observatory’. In doing so, it will be in a better position to attract grant support for health, wellbeing, environmental and socio-economic projects from all sources.