Seventeen towns “in need” across Welsh county will share £1.5 million in funding

Elgan Hearn, Local democracy reporter

UK Government funding worth £1.5 million to help areas “in need” will be shared across 17 towns, a senior councillor has revealed.

At a Powys County Council Liberal Democrat and Labour cabinet meeting on Tuesday, January 20, senior councillors were surprised to find an extra item had been slipped onto the agenda which explained the UK Government’s Pride in Place Impact Fund.

Cabinet member for a more prosperous Powys Cllr Glyn Preston briefed councillors that the council had been selected as one of 94 local authorities across Wales, England and Scotland that will be receiving £1.5 million to develop three specific areas.

This funding pot is supposed to help revitalise high streets, improve public spaces and develop shared spaces such as outdoor play, sports or leisure spaces.

All 22 local authorities in Wales have been awarded the funding.

Cllr Preston (Liberal Democrat – Llanidloes) said: “It’s great news, we have had the announcement for the Pride in Place Impact Fund.

“We have two years to spend this money, and the allocation is for 100 per cent capital funding.”

This means it needs to be used for projects that bring in longer term benefits such as infrastructure or buildings.

Cllr Preston continued: “There are some requirements on us that centre around our engagement with stakeholders, communities, MPs and Senedd Members.

“We need to seek their views and backing on how to spend the money.”

He explained that each one of 17 town councils across Powys would be asked to identify a “pipeline” of eligible projects.

Cllr Preston said: “These are all towns that have an agreed Place Plan.”

He said that the council’s Economic Development and Regeneration team have already worked with town councils to ensure engagement with residents has already happened on these Place Plans.

A Place Plan is a document that outlines where future development, and regeneration should take place in a town to reflect local distinctiveness and need – sometimes they become adopted as supplementary planning guidance.

These discussions also need to take place ahead of a February deadline.

This is when the UK Government expect to receive feedback from these discussions and an idea of how the money will be spent.

Cllr Preston said: “It is proposed that the town councils oversee these projects in their respective towns.”

Cabinet member for Highways, Transport and Recycling Cllr Jackie Charlton (Liberal Democrat – Llangattock and Llangynidr said: “I am sure and confident that those communities will come up with projects which will enhance them.”

Cabinet members voted to endorse the report.

The UK Labour Government’s Pride in Place programmes targets areas with historic deprivation while the Pride In Place Impact Fund aims to provide support for other areas that are not so deprived.

The 17 towns that will get a slice of funding are:

1. Brecon
2. Builth Wells
3. Crickhowell
4. Hay on Wye
5. Knighton
6. Llandrindod Wells
7. Llanfair Caereinion
8. Llanfyllin
9. Llanidloes
10. Llanwrtyd Wells
11. Machynlleth
12. Newtown
13. Presteigne
14. Rhayader
15. Talgarth
16. Welshpool
17. Ystradgynlais