15 towns given regeneration funding
A cash injection of £1.5 million will go towards sprucing up 15 English towns, it was revealed today.
Grant Shapps, the Housing Minister, said the scheme was "not really about money" but was instead primarily concerned with restoring high streets' roles in people's lives.
Mr Shapps also said the Government planned to support an additional 400 towns who had submitted proposals under the pilot scheme but were not included in the final 15.
Retail guru Mary Portas initiated the plan, which will benefit towns including Liverpool and Brighton. Plans to revitalize the towns include improving parking services and offering support for young entrepreneurs.
Shadow Planning Minister, Roberta Blackman-Woods said: "This government's failed economic policy and double-dip recession made in Downing Street is clearly damaging High Streets across the country and short-term schemes like this will not be enough to save them."