Welsh towns to share in new levelling-up funding
Endowment-style funds to be made available over 10 years
Three towns in South Wales are to receive a share of new funding as part of the UK government's levelling-up agenda.
Cwmbran, Barry and Merthyr Tydfil are all set to benefit, with access to endowment-style funds worth £20 million over a 10 year period.
Under the new plans, the Prime Minister has said local people will be put in charge and given the tools to change their town’s long-term future.
The money will be available to spend on things like regenerating local high streets and town centres or securing public safety.
It will also enable the creation of a 'Town Board' to bring together community leaders, employers and local authorities to deliver a plan which can be put it to people for consultation.
Wrexham, which was recently granted city-status, is also named among 55 places across the UK to share in a £1.1 billion investment.
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.”
Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said: “Merthyr Tydfil, Cwmbran, Wrexham and Barry are all fantastic places and will hugely benefit from this significant investment in their future.
“We are proud to be supporting people to take control of their local areas. Levelling up is at the centre of the UK Government’s ambitions and communities across Wales will be transformed over the coming years with the investment we are making in them.”