Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge’s MP Ashley Fox says he is “disappointed” that the two towns have not been earmarked by the Government for millions of pounds of funding through its ‘Pride in Place’ programme.
The government has just announced up to £5bn of investment for 339 “overlooked” communities across the UK to spend on boosting high streets, parks and public spaces.
Under its Pride in Place programme, the government has also said it will give communities help to save pubs and libraries from closure and encourage councils to help shopping areas.
PM Keir Starmer said it represented a “huge investment”, and that those who “know their communities best” would decide how the money would be spent.
Bridgwater South will receive £20 million over ten years, which has been welcomed by MP Ashley Fox. He told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “This is good news for Bridgwater. I have been lobbying hard for our town, so I welcome this announcement as the only town in Somerset to have secured it.”
“Bridgwater has already benefitted from almost £45 million through the Town Deal and Levelling Up funding from the last Government. This additional £20 million over the next ten years will build on that investment and help deliver further improvements for Bridgwater.”
The MP adds: “I am, however, disappointed that Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge was not included, particularly as there are some acute needs in parts of those communities. One of my first acts as MP was to lobby for additional investment into Burnham and Highbridge, so I am sad this has not been forthcoming.”
“Nevertheless, this is positive news for Bridgwater and I look forward to meeting with ministers to understand how we can get the best out of this programme for local residents.”
The investment will see 169 areas get £2m every year for a decade, while a further 95 places will get a one-off payment of £1.5m.
The money will be targeted at improvements backed by the local community and could include projects to tackle littering and graffiti or building a new sports ground. The government has said spending would only be approved if community groups, local organisations and social clubs have been involved in deciding how the money will be spent.
Unlike the levelling up funding scheme introduced under Boris Johnson’s Conservative government, councils would not put in bids to get the money. The locations were selected based on a ranking of neighbourhoods, external using the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) and Community Needs Index.
The money includes spending announced earlier this year, which saw £1.5bn pledged to 75 of the “most deprived” areas in the UK. The government said that since the announcement, areas had been discussing how to spend the money.
