A pledge by the Prime Minister put local people in control of millions of pounds of Government cash has been welcomed by North Lincolnshire Council leader Rob Waltham.
Rishi Sunak announced 55 towns across the UK are to be given £20m in endowment-style funds over ten years to invest in local people’s priorities – and Scunthorpe is on the list.
“This latest commitment from Government is backing Scunthorpe town centre with hard cash,” Cllr Waltham said. “This money, deliverable over a decade, will make a long-term difference to the heart of Scunthorpe and the benefit will be felt by everyone who visits.”
The funding will involve using the Towns Board to devise a long-term plan addressing the issues local residents find most important.
This could be everything from tackling anti-social behaviour, improving transport infrastructure, establishing more green spaces and re-purposing empty high street shops.
“There’s no doubt that the high street, like every single one across the country, faces challenges,” said Cllr Waltham. “But, along with the rest of the government support we’re building a new brighter future and one which includes a town centre that is backed by everyone.”
Scunthorpe was selected to receive the Long-Term Plan for Towns cash after a list of towns across the UK was drawn up according to levelling up need and levels of deprivation.
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.
“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.
“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.”
