Shropshire given £19m to regenerate high streets and tackle economic decline
Shropshire and Telford councils have received more than £19 million to help tackle economic decline and regenerate high streets.
The money, from the Government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund, will go to support the two authorities 'levelling up' plans in the region.
Shropshire Council has been given £12.25m and Telford & Wrekin Council has received £6.8m. It comes after it was earlier confirmed that Powys will receive £27.4m from the fund.
The main funding is to support efforts to tackle economic decline, help more people into decent jobs, and regenerate high streets.
The region has previously been snubbed in several different 'levelling up' funding bids.
In the autumn budget last year, Shropshire Council failed to win any money for its multi-million pound bids for Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Craven Arms.
Then no major funding was announced for the region in the Government's major 'levelling up' white paper unveiled in February - a move which saw Shropshire's Conservative council leader Lezley Picton criticise the Government along with Telford's Labour leader Shaun Davies.
And earlier this month it was announced that both the Shropshire and Telford councils were unsuccessful in bids for 'Bus Back Better' funding worth £140 million.
This week's £12m announcement is smaller than all of the previous bids in Shropshire but has been welcomed by the council who said it will "help to address some of the challenges the county faces because of its rural nature which often makes it much more expensive to provide many services".
Councillor Ed Potter, deputy leader and cabinet member for economic growth, regeneration and planning, said: “We are delighted that Shropshire is to receive £12.25m from the UKSPF.
“This is great news because this money is badly needed to help Shropshire tackle many of the challenges that it faces as the country’s largest inland county with a sparse population spread over a huge area.
“Our rural nature also means wages here are below the national average and at a time when day to day costs are rising for everyone, we must be doing everything we can to improve Shropshire’s prospects through regeneration, improved skills and boosting our economy.
“We will be asking a range of stakeholders, local businesses and partners across the county to join us in defining how this funding can best benefit Shropshire and reflects the issues they believe are priorities before we submit our investment plans to Government during the summer.”
Shropshire's funding is split into two elements – £10.85m from the prosperity fund, while a further £1.4m has been awarded under the Government’s Multiply programme to help support people with low or no maths skills back into work.
The first payments could be made from October and cover a three-year period.
Labour Councillor Lee Carter, Telford & Wrekin Council's cabinet member for neighbourhood services, regeneration and the high street, welcomed the money – but said it would not make up for the amount the authority has lost through austerity.
The council has previously reacted with frustration at not receiving money from the government's levelling up funds.
Councillor Carter said: "We welcome this investment into the borough and as a council on the side of our residents we will make every penny work hard for them but it really is a drop in the ocean compared to the £500m we invest as a council each year and it certainly does not make up for the £130m a year reduction in what we can spend locally due to years of Government austerity.”
It is understood the councils will have to submit investment plans for the funding by August.
The UKSPF has been set up to match the previous EU funding from the European Social Fund and European Regional Development Fund.
Ludlow's Conservative MP Philip Dunne said the money could help improve high streets throughout Shropshire.
He said: “Shropshire has a number of challenges to confront if we are to ensure that levelling up means improving life chances everywhere in the UK. But announcement of £12.2m will give Shropshire Council the flexibility to support local projects and regenerate high streets across the county.
"This funding will help to reduce the regional inequalities that have lingered for too long, and I shall be engaging with Shropshire Council and look forward to helping shape how this investment will be spent, including in South Shropshire."
Shrewsbury & Atcham Conservative, Daniel Kawczynski, welcomed the announcement and said he would continue to press for more funding for the county.