Commenting on the Government’s Long-Term Plan for Towns initiative to give £20m endowment-style funds to 55 towns (including six in the East Midlands – Chesterfield, Clifton, Mansfield, Newark-on-Trent, Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Worksop), East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “It’s promising to see a renewed focus on driving forward towns, which are inhabited by a large portion of our population and have a significant role to play in a successful and thriving economy.
“The changing face of towns, much like in cities, has created challenges in how we ensure they are fit for purpose as places for living, working and spending leisure time.
“A Long-Term Plan for Towns therefore feels like a vision our country has lacked for a long time in order to deliver on their economic potential.
“Local decision-making by those who know the area is crucial to this and gives us the best opportunity to create good jobs for local people, breathe new life into neglected places and unlock wider economic growth that benefits everyone.”
