The British Government has unveiled 55 towns that will benefit from a £1.1 billion levelling up investment, as part of a long-term plan providing long-term investment in towns that have been overlooked and taken for granted.
According to the statement released by the Department of Levelling up, Housing and Communities on Sunday while given 55 towns given £20 million endowment-style funds each over 10 years to invest in local people’s priorities.
It stated that these Towns that will be given the opportunity to develop a long-term plan supported by a Towns Board include 6 in the North East, 10 in the North West, and 4 in the West Midlands.
In total, 55 towns will benefit from the UK-wide approach, including 7 towns in Scotland and 4 in Wales. In Northern Ireland, the Goverment look forward to working with a restored Executive to determine the approach to providing support there.
It added that the Government will work with local councils and the devolved administrations to determine how towns in Scotland and Wales will benefit from funding and powers under the long-term plans.
Under the new approach, local people, not Whitehall-based politicians, will be put in charge, and given the tools to change their town’s long-term future. They will:
Receive a ten-year £20 million endowment-style fund to be spent on local people’s priorities, like regenerating local high streets and town centres or securing public safety.
Set up a Town Board to bring together community leaders, employers, local authorities, and the local MP, to deliver the Long-Term Plan for their town and put it to local people for consultation.
Use a suite of regeneration powers to unlock more private sector investment by auctioning empty high street shops, reforming licensing rules on shops and restaurants, and supporting more housing in town centres.
More than half the population live in towns, but half-empty high streets, run-down town centres and anti-social behaviour undermine towns in every part of the UK.
Today’s announcement marks a change in approach that will put an end to people feeling like their town is ignored by Westminster and empower communities to take back control of their future, taking long term decisions in the interests of local people.
This plan builds on the Government’s central mission to level up the UK by putting more power and money in the hands of people who know their areas best to build a brighter future for their community, creating bespoke initiatives that will spark the regeneration needed.
Reacting to this development, the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak said: “Towns are the place most of us call home and where most of us go to work. But politicians have always taken towns for granted and focused on cities.
He added that the result is the half-empty high streets, run-down shopping centres and anti-social behaviour that undermine many towns’ prosperity and hold back people’s opportunity – and without a new approach, these problems will only get worse.
Sunak said, “That changes today. Our Long-Term Plan for Towns puts funding in the hands of local people themselves to invest in line with their priorities, over the long-term. That is how we level up”.
Meanwhile, the ‘Long-Term Plan for Towns’, released on Saturday, is carefully designed to complement the wider levelling up programme, working alongside funding for specific projects across United Kingdom.
While the Government targeted support to the places most in need through Levelling Up Partnerships, and initiatives supporting economic growth in wider city regions like investment zones.
The Long-Term Plan for Towns will require town boards to develop their own long-term plan for their town, with funding over 10 years and aligned to the issues that research shows people want the most, including:
Improving transport and connections to make travel easier for residents and increase visitor numbers in centres to boost opportunities for small businesses and create jobs.
Tackling crime and anti social behaviour to keep residents safe and encourage visitors through better security measures and hotspot policing.
Enhancing town centres to make high streets more attractive and accessible, including repurposing empty shops for new housing, creating more green spaces, cleaning up streets or running market days.
Local people will be at the heart of decisions, via direct membership of a new Towns Board, which will include community groups, MPs, businesses, cultural.
Also sports organisations, the public sector agencies and local authorities for each town and through a requirement to engage local people on the long-term plan for each town.
These Town Boards will have direct government support in addition to the funding and powers they receive through Long-Term Plan for Towns, and will be required to engage local people on their long-term plan.
The Government has also announced a new ‘Towns Taskforce, sitting in the Department for Levelling Up and reporting directly to the Prime Minister and Levelling Up Secretary.
This will help town boards to develop their plans, and advise them on how best to take advantage of government policies, unlock private and philanthropic investment and work with communities.
A new ‘High Streets and Towns Task Force’ will also be established, building on the success of the existing version, providing each selected town with bespoke, hands-on support.