Rishi Sunak promises 10-year fund for "overlooked" Scottish towns
The Prime Minister says it's about putting "funding in the hands of local people" to improve their communities.
Last updated 1st Oct 2023
Seven "overlooked" Scottish towns will each be given £20 million over a 10-year period to help regenerate high streets and tackle anti-social behaviour.
The Prime Minister said the new long-term vision for towns, backed by £1 billion of investment, was about putting "funding in the hands of local people" to improve their communities.
The funding is part of a wider package that will see 55 towns across the UK receive support.
It is set to be used on local priorities such as reviving high streets, tackling anti-social behaviour, improving transport, boosting visitor numbers and growing the local economy.
"Politicians have always taken towns for granted"
The investment in places such as Elgin, Dumfries and Kilmarnock comes on the eve of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester.
Prime Minister and Tory leader 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, rundown 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."
Officials suggested more private sector investment could be unlocked by auctioning empty high street shops, reforming licensing rules on shops and restaurants, and supporting more housing in urban centres.
They said research showed communities want to see more green spaces created and market days established to enhance town centres, with policing hotspots implemented to make public spaces safer.
Government will work with local councils and devolved administrations
As part of the investment, the towns will also set up a town board, bringing together community leaders, employers, local authorities and the local MP, to help deliver a plan for consultation.
A Towns Taskforce, sitting in the Department for Levelling Up and reporting directly to the Prime Minister and Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, will help boards develop their plans and advise on how best to take advantage of government policies, unlock private and philanthropic investment and work with communities.
Mr Gove's department said the Government would work with local councils and the devolved administrations to determine how towns in Scotland and Wales will benefit from funding and powers under the proposals.
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 £1 billion of levelling up funding.
"This will empower communities in every part of the UK to take back control of their future, taking long term decisions in the interests of local people.
"It will mean more jobs, more opportunities and a brighter future for our towns and the people who live and work in them."
The Scottish towns benefiting from £20 million of funding are Greenock, Irvine, Kilmarnock, Coatbridge, Clydebank, Dumfries and Elgin.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: "While the Scottish Government welcomes all extra funding for Scotland, it would be much better if provided to the Scottish Government via the Barnett Formula in the normal manner.
“It is extremely disappointing that we have not been consulted on how the investment could be prioritised to complement our ongoing work, and we are unclear on how the priority locations have been identified. We will nevertheless work with the UK Government and local authorities to ensure the impact of this investment can be properly realised.
“We have already been working with local authorities to revitalise our town centres. Scotland was the first part of the UK to make a commitment to a Town Centre Action Plan and to adopt a town centre first principle, backed by funding from our £325 million Place Based Investment Programme.”
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