Kate Griffiths MP today (26/07/21) welcomed Government Minister, Luke Hall MP, to Burton, after he accepted her invitation to tour the sites identified in the Towns Fund bid, from which Burton successfully secured £22.8 million from the Government programme earlier this year.
The Minister, responsible for Regional Growth and Local Government, is key to the Government’s Levelling Up Agenda and has been central to the Towns Fund programme which awards local authorities with significant sums of money to invest in their town centres.
Kate met with the Minister, along with Chair of Burton’s Town Deal Board, Ben Robinson, as well as councillors and fellow board members. The group showed the Minister around the town centre, and discussed on location a number of projects under consideration, and how best to progress them.
Examples of the Burton Town Board proposals include:
- enhancing historic buildings in Burton town centre;
- establishing a new regional learning centre to improve local skills and development training prospects; and
- building a Washlands bicycle and pedestrian bridge to encourage more people to visit the town centre.
Kate Griffiths MP said:
“I am pleased the Minister accepted my invitation to visit Burton to see for himself the potential avenues the Town Deal Board will take to invest the £22.8 million awarded to Burton by the Government.
“This is an exciting time for Burton, and such a significant opportunity to revitalise and futureproof our town centre must not be squandered.
“I will continue to work with local councillors and the Town Deal Board to ensure that residents are fully included in the decision process, and can be proud of the investments made in our town centre.”
Minister Luke Hall commented:
“I would like to thank Kate for inviting me to visit Burton today to hear about the consultation events and plans for Burton’s Town Deal, which received the backing of the Government.
“It’s hugely important—particularly following the coronavirus pandemic—that we build back better and ensure that our town centres can be thriving places people wish to visit and spend time enjoying themselves in once again.”
