The Government announced in 2019 that Kirkby and Sutton had been selected as two of 101 towns which will receive up to £25m each, as part of a Town Deal.

Town Deal Board

A requirement of the fund is that a Town Deal Board is created to oversee the funding and ensure that there is involvement and engagement with a wide range of people and organisations. Following approval by Ashfield District Council’s Cabinet and the Discover Ashfield Board, the board has agreed to act as the Town Deal Board.

The Board membership has been expanded to include the local MPs, additional community representation and the Integrated Care Partnership. The board will serve an advisory function to the Council with regards to the Town Deal funding.  

Key dates

• A Town Investment Plan is to be produced by the end of summer 2020
• A Town Deal will be agreed with Government during 2020-21.

The Town Deal Board and Town Investment Plan (TIP) will inform the second stage of agreeing a Town Deal which will include completing a business case. The plan will need to focus on High Value for Money interventions with capital projects at the core that will drive economic growth.

The objective of the fund is to drive the economic regeneration of towns to deliver long term economic and productivity growth through:

1. Urban regeneration: ensuring towns are thriving places by: increasing density in town centres; strengthening local economic assets including cultural assets; site acquisition, remediation, preparation, regeneration
2. Skills and enterprise infrastructure: driving private sector investment and ensuring towns have the space to support skills and small business development;
3. Connectivity: developing local transport schemes that complement regional and national networks, supporting the delivery of improved digital connectivity.

Both consultation forms for Town Funding can be completed on the Ashfield District Council website.

Capacity funding

Capacity funding of £162,019 per town was received by the Council in December 2019.

The Council will set out how the capacity funding will be spent, and how it will support the process of developing the Town Investment Plan. The funding is to be used for: convening the Town Deal Board, running business and wider community engagement events; developing Town Investment Plans and providing technical expertise for business case development.

View the Towns Fund area and boundary here.

 

Further information about the fund is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/100-places-to-benefit-from-new-towns-fund

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/towns-fund-prospectus