Innovative projects that will put St Helens Borough at the forefront of economic recovery like Glass Futures were the talking points with Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government who attended a meeting of public and private sector businesses.
The meeting today, Friday, comes shortly after the announcement of £15m in funding from the Government to bring the research and development glass facility to life at the former UG Glass site next to the Totally Wicked Stadium in the town centre.
The Secretary of State was invited to meet the Town Deal Board by Conor McGinn MP, who has been working intensively with the Council to secure Government funding and investment for St Helens Borough.
Councillor David Baines, Leader of St Helens Borough Council, said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity for St Helens to have the Secretary of State attend our town deal board to hear about the huge potential in our borough and the hard work that’s taking place.
“Alongside exciting projects like Glass Futures, Parkside and our regeneration partnership with English Cities Fund, securing £25m town deal funding would be truly transformative for St Helens and we’ll be continuing the hard work now of preparing our submission for the new year.”
In the meeting they discussed how working with public and private sector, and in partnership with English Cities Fund, St Helens Borough was working hard to transform the economy as it looks forward to new industries, opportunities and areas of growth that could put it at the forefront of transformation.
Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said: “I was very glad to join a virtual meeting of the St Helens Towns Board today. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for all their hard work in preparing the St Helens Towns Fund proposal and we look forward to formally receiving it in due course.”
St Helens Borough was identified by the Government as a qualifying area for the Town Deal Programme which allows those selected the opportunity to bid for up to £25m to help with regeneration plans. The Town Deal Board, made up of businesses and community partners are now working on submitting a Town Investment Plan in January 2021.
John Tabern, Chairman of the St Helens Town Deal Board, added: “This attendance by the Secretary of State for Local Government at the Town Deal Board meeting represents how important our work is for St Helens. This is a fantastic coup for St Helens and we must extend thanks to Conor McGinn MP for his part in arranging it. This is recognition for the town at the highest level and just reward for the hard work, by many people, that is going into developing a plan to secure £25 million of Government funding.”