Funding will support community and environmental schemes
Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council’s bid for a £1 million slice of the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund has been successful.
The fund was created to support town centres, local businesses, community groups and environmental initiatives. It’s a key plank of the government’s nationwide ‘Levelling Up’ policy.
The cash will be allocated in three phases between now and 2025. The first of these will be for £98,731 to invest in projects across the borough by March 2023, including:
- Youth sport clubs and organisations
- Mobile CCTV cameras in anti-social behaviour hotspots
- Improvements to Tonbridge town centre – including signage and regeneration
- Adapting leisure centre systems to reduce carbon emissions
- Setting up a West Kent Business Support Programme
The council will be expected to deliver each year’s plan before receiving funding for the next and will have the opportunity to adapt its plans to reflect new priorities over the three years. Further projects lined up for years two and three include community grants, environmental initiatives and schemes to help the unemployed into work.
Cllr Matt Boughton, Leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, said: ‘Winning approval for our plans is great news and means we can get started on delivering benefits for our borough. A key aim of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund is to build a sense of pride in our communities and I’m confident that by investing in young people, supporting business and improving our town centres we can make a big impact.'