Heywood to receive £20 million in Government’s Long-term Plan for Towns

Photo: Google, DigitalGlobe

Market Street, Heywood

Heywood has been named as one of 55 towns that will benefit from Government levelling up funding of £1.1 billion, to be spent over 10 years on local people’s priorities, like regenerating local high streets, tackling anti-social behaviour and improving transport.

Heywood is one of 10 towns in the North West that will be given the opportunity to develop a long-term plan supported by a Towns Board which will see local people put in charge, and given the tools to change their town’s long-term future.

The Towns Board will bring together community leaders, employers, local authorities, and the local MP, to deliver the Long-Term Plan for their town and put it to local people for consultation.

The Long-Term Plan for Towns will require town boards to develop their own long-term plan for their town, with funding over 10 years and aligned to the issues that research shows people want the most, including:

• Improving transport and connections to make travel easier for residents and increase visitor numbers in centres to boost opportunities for small businesses and create jobs.
• Tackling crime and anti-social behaviour to keep residents safe and encourage visitors through better security measures and hotspot policing.
• Enhancing town centres to make high streets more attractive and accessible, including repurposing empty shops for new housing, creating more green spaces, cleaning up streets or running market days.

The Towns Board will also be able to unlock more private sector investment by auctioning empty high street shops, reforming licensing rules on shops and restaurants, and supporting more housing in town centres.

Heywood and Middleton MP, Chris Clarkson said: “Heywood has been let down by the indifference of the council for years, so it's fantastic news that the PM has stepped in to get £20m of funding earmarked for our town. The council won't be able to divert this money to other projects and it will be spent on local people's priorities. This Government is delivering for our community.”

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 £1bn 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 Government has also announced a new ‘Towns Taskforce, sitting in the Department for Levelling Up and reporting directly to the Prime Minister and Levelling Up Secretary. This will help town boards to develop their plans, and advise them on how best to take advantage of government policies, unlock private and philanthropic investment and work with communities.

A new ‘High Streets and Towns Task Force’ will also be established, building on the success of the existing version, providing each selected town with bespoke, hands-on support.