William Eichler 02 October 2023

Fifty-five ‘left-behind’ towns to share £1bn

Fifty-five ‘left-behind’ towns to share £1bn  image
Image: William Barton / Shutterstock.com.

Fifty-five towns across the UK are set to benefit from a £1.1bn levelling up investment, the Prime Minister has announced.

The ‘left-behind’ towns will each be given £20m over a 10-year period to help regenerate high streets and tackle anti-social behaviour, the PM said yesterday on the eve of the Conservative Party conference.

Each of the towns will be able to develop a long-term plan supported by a Towns Board, which will bring together community leaders, employers, local authorities, and the local MP.

Mr 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.’

Responding to the announcement, Angela Rayner, Labour’s shadow levelling up secretary, said the move was ‘barely more than shiny headlines’.

‘It takes a special kind of arrogance for a Prime Minister caught on tape boasting that he had swiped money from “deprived urban areas” to now expect local people to be grateful for a promise to hand a tiny fraction of it back,’ she added.

Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove said: ‘We know that in our towns the values of hard work and solidarity, common sense and common purpose, endeavour and quiet patriotism have endured across generations. But for too long, too many of our great British towns have been overlooked and undervalued.

‘We are putting this right through our Long-Term Plan for Towns backed by over £1bn of levelling up funding.’

If this article was of interest, then check out our feature, 'Levelling up for the next generation'.

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Family Support Worker

Durham County Council
Grade 6 - £27,269 - £30,060 (Pay award pending)
Do you have a real passion for helping families to make positive changes for themselves and their children? This might be the right role for you!   WH Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Clerical Officer Receptionist

Durham County Council
Grade 3 £24,404 - £25,183 Pro Rata to hours worked Pay award pending
WHAT IS INVOLVED? We are looking to appoint a part time Clerical officer/Receptionist within Business Services to provide a professional, effective a Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Administration Assistant

Durham County Council
£25,584 - £27,711 pro rata
Administration Assistant Grade 5    £25,584 - £27,711 pro rata Temporary – required from 1st October 2025 until 31 December 2025 37 hours per week, Te Consett
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Support Assistant

Durham County Council
£24,027 pro rata
Support Assistant Grade 1 £24,027 pro rata Temporary – required from 1st October 2025 until 31st October 2026 Part Time, 32.5 hours Mon - Fri 9am -4pm Consett
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Lecturer in Foundation Learning -Maths, English and Digital

Durham County Council
Grade 9 £34,314 - £37,938 pro rata for part-time term time working PAY AWARD PENDING
The DurhamLearn Foundation Learning programme area delivers Digital Skills, English and Maths Functional Skills.   An opportunity has arisen for a Lec Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council
Linkedin Banner