'Fantastic and unexpected' - Councils in Lincolnshire react to news of £60m for 'overlooked' towns

'Overlooked' towns - Boston, Skegness and Spalding - now in line for £20m over 10 years each in extra Government money.

On Saturday (September 30), the Government announced that 55 towns across the UK would be given a £20m endowment-style fund each to be spent over a 10-year period.

The aim would be to help ‘provide long-term investment in towns that have been overlooked and taken for granted’, it said, with a focus on regeneration, economic growth and tackling anti-social behaviour.

Under the plans, local people will be ‘put in charge’ and ‘given the tools to change their town’s long-term future’, the Government added.

A spokesman for the South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership (which comprises Boston Borough Council, East Lindsey District Council and South Holland District Council) explained: “Businesses and local people in Spalding, Skegness and Boston will be instrumental in driving forward the future improvements and regeneration of their towns, with the fund aiming to boost local people's pride for where they live and work.”

The money joins the £21.9m allocated to Boston in Town Deal funding, the £14.8m allocated to it in Levelling Up funding, the £24.5 million allocated to Skegness in Town Deal funding, and the £20m allocated to Spalding in Levelling Up funding.

In a joint statement, Coun Anne Dorrian, leader of Boston Borough Council, and Coun Craig Leyland, leader of East Lindsey District Council, and Coun Nick Worth, leader of South Holland District Council, said: “This is fantastic and unexpected news for each town, our councils and the wider South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership.

“We welcome that the Government has again recognised Spalding, Boston and Skegness when making this national funding announcement and now there is work to be done to understand more about how this money can be used. Our next steps will be to gain a full understanding of how these funds will help to support our high streets, businesses and communities.“We look forward to working out the finer details in the coming weeks and months, and then beginning that serious work with our communities and businesses as soon as we can.”