Bit of time: Closer look at Barry's £20m levelling up fund

What does the £20m aim to do?

It’s not a case of the UK Gov saying 'here you go Barry, £20m do with it what you want to improve the town'. No, there’s rules to these things…

The three investment schemes the money has to go on are “safety and security”, including looking into CCTV and street lighting; “transport and connectivity”, which could include road improvements and new cycling programmes; and the big one, “high streets, heritage and regeneration”.

Interventions here could include repurposing vacant department stores (Wilkos anyone?) converting them to housing; improving heritage sites in the town; creating parks and green spaces; supporting high street cleaning projects; opening new markets and establishing "Business Improvement Districts" by running high street rental auctions.

• Read more: Barry set to receive £20 million from UK Government

Who is going to oversee this new money to Barry?

There is a long way to go before Barry actually starts piling the money into the town.

The first thing which needs to be done is to set up a “Towns Board”.

This board will, quote: “drive the priorities for investment, convene powers and responsibilities for making change, and steer the long-term vision for their town hand in-hand with local people”.

The money could be used to repurpose vacant department stores (Wilkos anyone?) (Image: Newsquest)

Who is the 'Towns Board' made up of?

Community partners such as community groups, faith groups and local charities, the neighbourhood forum, the local council voluntary service, local businesses and social enterprises, key local employers or investors, key cultural arts heritage and sporting organisations, public sector agencies such as representatives from schools, and of course the local MP.

When does Barry get the money and see the change?

A while…

Once board structures are in place, capacity funding will be made available from Spring 2024 for boards to build on their vision and write their “Town Plan”.

Each town’s “Long-Term Plan” should be produced by Summer 2024, when the first year of funding will be released, and include clear evidence of local engagement, a plan for how the £20m will be deployed in line with investment themes, how local authorities community groups and businesses are using their existing resources to support these priorities, how the Town Board intends to attract private and philanthropic investment, and how members of the board are using existing powers.

The money can go on high street cleaning projects (Image: Google Maps)

PM Rishi Sunak says the money is going to towns which have been neglected (Image: PA Media)

‘Sum of this size has the potential to enable something truly transformative’ Vale leader Lis Burnett

So, to get £20m of funding out the UK Government is as easy as that…

But, however convoluted it may seem, Vale leader Councillor Lis Burnett says this is a real opportunity for Barry.

On the funding, Cllr Burnett said: “The UK Government confirmed that this funding is unrelated to the council’s bid for Levelling Up funding to support the development of a Marina and Watersports Centre at Barry Waterfront.

“We have already had an initial meeting with officials at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and are hopeful this investment will allow us to add considerable value to the planned placemaking plan for Barry.

“Working with communities to identify priorities for investment is central to our approach to regeneration and a sum of this size has the potential to enable something truly transformative in each of these areas.”

What do you think the £20m needs to go on? Let us know in comments, on our Facebook page, or email harry.jamshidian@newsquest.co.uk.