DCN has welcomed the news that 15 towns in district council areas are to receive funding through the Government’s Long-Term Plan for Towns.

Under plans announced by the Prime Minister at the weekend, each town will receive £20m over a 10-year period to be spent on local priorities.

In response, Cllr Barry Wood, DCN’s growth and regeneration spokesperson, said:

“For decades, while the biggest cities have been the focus of national policy-making, towns have been largely forgotten by the centre, despite them being so central to the lives of countless communities.

“The Government’s change of focus in recent years, previously demonstrated in the Towns Fund, is welcome, and the fact that this money is to be channelled through district councils in our areas is a vote of confidence in our ability to bring about long-term benefits from such funding.

“District councils, as the most localised principal authorities, have a unique ability to bring together local businesses and communities to devise a programme of regeneration that best meets the unique needs of our places.

“While this new funding has potential to bring major long-term benefits for recipient areas, numerous other towns are in need of long-term support that would enable their council to implement a locally-led path to prosperity.”

District area towns to receive funding