- Burnley and Padiham will benefit from £3,488,102 in funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Alongside an extra £5,911,987 Lancashire County Council is set to receive.
- The Shared Prosperity Fund was launched on 13 April 2022 and local council’s submitted investment plans over the Summer.
- The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Local Communities has confirmed that all investment plans in England have been approved by the Government.
Today, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has announced that Burnley Borough Council will be allocated £3.4 million to level up communities within the borough. This comes alongside another £5.9 million for Lancashire County Council.
Both local authorities were asked to submit a three-year investment plan in the summer with both plans now approved by the Government.
The £2.6 billion UK Shared Prosperity Fund was launched in April of this year with local MP Antony Higginbotham lobbying hard for Burnley and Padiham to be included. Now approved, officials will work with both Burnley Borough Council and LCC to address any funding conditions and agree next steps, with the payments to follow.
Burnley and Padiham’s MP, Antony Higginbotham, who has been vocal in Parliament about the need to level up the borough has said:
It's brilliant that Burnley and Padiham has secured £3.4 million from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
That’s money that can be used to further regenerate our area. And comes on top of the £20 million we secured through the Levelling Up Fund.
My whole mission in Parliament is to get Westminster focused on our borough - something I’ll continue to do night and day. This latest announcement shows that it is paying off.
We need a strong local voice who speaks up for us and secures investment on this scale. Because for far too long we’d be forgotten in London. Not anymore!
