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Guidance published for local leaders of the 100 selected towns to prepare for a Town Deal and develop proposals.

The 100 places selected for the government’s £3.6 billion Towns Fund will now be able to draw up their proposals for a multi-million pound investment, the Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government Simon Clarke MP has announced yesterday (15 June 2020).

The government yesterday published further Towns Fund guidance which sets out the key information local leaders need to prepare for a Town Deal and develop proposals in the form of a Town Investment Plan.

It comes on the day that non-essential retail begins to reopen in our towns as they look to recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Through the guidance, communities, businesses and local leaders will now be able to work together and draw up ambitious plans to transform their town’s economic growth prospects with a focus on improved transport, broadband connectivity, skills and culture.

Simon Clarke MP, Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government said:

Ensuring that every part of this country has the opportunity to grow and prosper is at the heart of the mission of this Government, and our Towns Fund is an essential part of making sure that our communities have the level of investment they need to drive jobs and economic growth.

Investment in our towns is needed more than ever as we move to the next stage of the economic recovery from Covid-19, and the Fund will play an important part in the kick-starting of our economic recovery and levelling up our regions.

With this new guidance, communities, businesses and local leaders will now be able to work together to draw up their ambitious plans bring investment and growth to their local area.

The 100 selected places will now have 4 weeks to decide whether or not to submit a Towns Investment Plan by 31 July 2020 or, in a later cohort, by either October 2020 or early 2021.

All 100 places will be supported throughout the development of their Town Investment Plans by the Towns Hub, which consists of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Towns Fund Delivery Partnership led by Arup.

Further information

On 27 July 2019 the Prime Minister announced that the £3.6 billion Towns Fund would support an initial 100 town deals across England. See further details of the announcement.

A Town Deal is an agreement in principle between government, the Lead Council and the Town Deal Board. It will set out a vision and strategy for the town, and what each party agrees to do to achieve this vision

See the 100 places being supported to develop Town Deals.