Barnsley Council set to give local high streets £5m investment

Barnsley Council is aiming to invest millions over the next three years to help district town centres grow.

This announcement comes part of a new programme which, if agreed by Cabinet, could see the council invest £5m in community-led projects to encourage the regeneration of Barnsley’s Principal Towns and Local Centres.

The programme will work with business leaders and organisations to help deliver projects focussed on developing a strong high street and resilient communities.

In addition to the council’s contribution, these improvements also aim to attract investment from the private sector and other funding streams to maximise income generation across the borough.

Access to funding is awarded on a competitive basis through a commissioning panel. A suggested minimum amount of £100k has been proposed for Principal Towns and £50k for Local Centres.

Projects could include transport and car parking improvements, shopfront schemes, signage and incentives for businesses.

Barnsley town centre is currently involved in a major programme of transformation which has already seen a significant amount of investment.

The Principal Towns funding will be used to inject wider investment across local high streets to make sure the benefits of economic regeneration are felt across the borough.

Cllr Roy Miller, cabinet spokesperson for Place, said: “We recognise that our Principal Towns and Local Centres play a significant role in the future of Barnsley and are just as important to people who live locally. That’s why we’ve put forward a £5m programme to help them thrive.

“The council will work with local businesses, residents and community organisations to turn their ideas into fantastic projects. They will be instrumental in helping to shape what their future should look like. That’s what makes this programme exciting – the potential for new and creative ideas to secure a sustainable future for our local high streets.”

Cllr Jenny Platts, cabinet spokesperson for Communities, addd: “This is an exciting and imaginative approach which will help to deliver the improvements that residents want to see. We’re committed to making sure this programme works directly with communities to deliver the best possible outcomes. The programme will encourage investment which will continue to reap the benefits for the people and businesses in district towns for years to come.”

If approved at Cabinet, two project managers will be appointed this month to engage with communities and help shape new projects that will redevelop and regenerate town centres.

The programme is proposed to commence in April 2017 and will run for three years.