Town Deal Board to identify projects for £25m investment plan

Local projects could form part of a £25m Government-funded investment plan for Swindon. Swindon was one of 101 places given the opportunity last year by the Government to bid for funding of up to £25 million as part of the Government’s £3.6 billion Towns Fund.

In line with the Government process, the Council has brought together a Board, including representatives from across the public, private and voluntary sectors, to develop and submit a locally-owned Town Investment Plan by the end of July setting out investment priorities and project proposals.

The Government has asked that local funding proposals should drive long-term economic and productivity growth through investment in connectivity, land use, economic assets including cultural assets, skills and enterprise infrastructure.

The Board is now inviting applications for projects which could be included in the Town Investment Plan, which will be submitted to Government at the end of July.

Projects should be clearly defined and focussed on the town centre; consistent with Towns Fund objectives; contribute to achieving the vision and strategic objectives of the Swindon Town Investment Plan; and support successful delivery outcomes. 

Any organisation wishing to put forward a project should do so by 5pm on Thursday, 11 June and submission details can be found at: www.swindon.gov.uk/towndeal.  

Richard Newland, Chair of the Swindon Town Deal Board and Director of Branch and Workplace Development at Nationwide Building Society, said: “The Towns Fund is a fantastic opportunity for Swindon. The Town Deal Board is full of talent, expertise and local knowledge to help transform the town and I am extremely pleased with the pace at which it is moving to make sure we can be one of the first areas to benefit from this scheme. The call we are making today is to make sure we don’t overlook any well-developed project ideas that exist in the wider community.”

Councillor David Renard, Leader of Swindon Borough Council, said: “Particularly due to the economic challenges generated by COVID-19, the Board is working at pace to seize the opportunity of securing this funding which would be a massive boost to Swindon. The timelines are tight but we are confident that we can present an ambitious and deliverable plan to the Government to secure the best possible outcomes for the town.”