New town centre fund for town councils and Business Improvement Districts

21 Mar 2023

Towns councils and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in West Suffolk are invited to apply for funding to enhance town centres.

West Suffolk Council has created a Town Centre fund for 2023-24, using £38,109 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. £7,156 of the 2023-24 funding is revenue and £30,953 is capital. An additional £192,662 of funding will be made available in 2024-25.

This fund has been allocated to support town centres across West Suffolk to make investments that enhance the attractiveness and sustainability of the places that West Suffolk residents use to live, shop, work, and play, through targeted improvements to the built environment and innovative approaches to crime prevention.

The fund will offer grants of up to £10,000 per town and will require new match funding from the applicant at a rate of 40 per cent. The scheme is open to town councils and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in the West Suffolk district and the funding must be spent within the town centre of the respective organisation. Where there is both a Business Improvement District and town council representing an area, it is asked that funding bids are coordinated.

For further information and application forms click here: UK Shared Prosperity Funding 2022 – 2023 Application Form. If you have any questions, contact economic.development@westsuffolk.gov.uk

The funding allocation for 2023/24 will be awarded as soon as possible after receipt of funding by West Suffolk Council from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in early in spring-summer 2023. The council may not be able to allocate the full requested amount depending on the demand.

Cllr Susan Glossop, Cabinet Member for Growth, West Suffolk Council, said: “This is a great opportunity for town councils and BIDs to secure new funding to further help our communities and businesses. The fund aligns with the Levelling Up White Paper mission to increase people’s satisfaction with their town and engagement with local culture and community. I am pleased that the council can offer this fund to the town councils and BIDs to elevate our market towns and help maximise the benefits for our residents, businesses, and visitors.”

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