Council bids for £4.5 million for local projects

West Berkshire council is hoping to secure £4.5 million for a series of local projects following bids made earlier this week.

If we succeed in securing a share of the Government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund, we would use £1 million of that money for projects focussed around four main themes.  These include:

·         Re-designing Newbury Wharf

·         Creating new sports facilities in Purley on Thames

·         Supporting local culture and heritage activities in rural communities

·         Giving advice and guidance to businesses to help them thrive

We've also submitted a bid of £3.5 million for the Newbury Lido in Round 2 of the Government's Levelling Up Fund in which local authorities compete against each other for funding.

West Berkshire Council is committed to delivering the Lido project and improvement work has already begun. If we do secure the extra £3.5 million, it would free up money to spend on other projects which would also benefit local residents.

All of these projects are in line with what our residents and stakeholders have asked us to deliver. We expect to hear from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in the autumn.

Councillor Lynne Doherty, Leader of West Berkshire Council says,

"A lot of work has gone into pulling together projects that address a mix of long standing local priorities in West Berkshire to help increase opportunities and make our residents even prouder of the place they live in.    

"We hope very much that these bids are successful andlook forward to working with local communities, stakeholders and businesses to deliver effective, efficient local outcomes with this money."