- The Conservatives are investing £15 billion into levelling up the country, as part of their clear plan to ensure talent and hard work, not geography, determine people’s life chances.
- That is why the Conservatives have set out a clear plan of bold action to regenerate towns and villages across the country with an additional £20 million each for 30 towns as part of the newly expanded Long Term Plan for Towns, building on yesterday’s announcement that the Community Ownership Fund will be extended for three years.
- This bold action will give local people the investment they need to breathe new life into their area through locally-led regeneration, securing a brighter future for previously overlooked towns across the country.
Kate Kniveton, Burton and Uttoxeter’s Conservative Party parliamentary candidate, has welcomed the Conservatives’ clear plan of bold action, investing a further £20 million into Burton over 10 years, building on the £22.8million Ms Kniveton helped secure from the Towns Fund during her time as the local MP.
The Conservatives’ long-term plan for towns is putting local people in charge, giving them the tools and funding to change their towns future. Each town will receive a £20 million endowment-style fund to spend over 10 years on transformational projects that deliver local people’s priorities and powers to revive lagging high streets and bring new housing to town centres. This will mean local communities, not politicians in Westminster, will get to decide the town improvements that will level up the place they call home over years to come.
This news follows the confirmation that the Conservatives will extend the successful Community Ownership Fund for three years, helping communities across the UK to take ownership of beloved community assets such as pubs, music venues and sports clubs at risk of closure.
The choice is clear: stick with the Conservatives under Rishi Sunak who are levelling up towns and villages across the UK, securing the future of previously left-behind communities. Or go back to square one with Labour, who would cancel the levelling up agenda, leaving communities without the support they deserve.
Kate Kniveton said:
“I am delighted the Conservatives have announced Burton as one of the 30 towns which would benefit from an additional £20 million funding under a future Conservative Government. This funding would see communities decide which investments to prioritise in their area, fulfilling our commitment to level up every corner of the UK.
“This builds on the £22.8million I secured already through the Towns Fund to regenerate Burton town centre and enhance the Washlands. I hope that this would allow ESBC to focus more on delivering the promised upgrades in Uttoxeter, using previously secured funds.
“However, all of this would be at risk under Labour, who would cancel the levelling up agenda, taking us back to square one. Only the Conservatives, with me as an experienced constituency MP, have a clear plan to deliver a brighter and more secure future for communities in Burton and Uttoxeter
Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister said:
“The Conservatives have a plan for towns because we know they are the beating heart of our country. This bold action will transform 30 more towns – reviving their high streets, growing their local economies and making people feel proud of the place they call home.
“Labour’s record in government shows they don’t care about towns – neglecting their needs, allowing them to decline and focusing instead on cities. Sir Keir Starmer has no plan to unlock opportunities in towns and would take us back to square one.
“Building on our strong track record of levelling up in Teesside and the Midlands, we will go further across the country to build a secure future for our children and grandchildren.”
Michael Gove, Levelling Up Secretary said:
“This bold action will be transformational for towns around the country. It will allow local people to take back control - creating better jobs, improving transport and generating more investment.
“The Conservatives have a clear plan to spread opportunity so that talent and hard work, not geography, determine people’s life chances.
"Sir Keir Starmer has no plan and no idea how to help people help themselves, just patronising platitudes that would take us back to square one."
