Council's grant cash to aid town centres' recovery

Councillors have voted to give £5,000 to each of the towns’ business groups - Lytham Business Partnership, the St Annes Enterprise Partnership and the Kirkham Business Group.

The three centres will receive the funding in response to the significant challenges facing the local economy as a result of the lockdown and social distancing measures which need to be maintained.

The council is looking to provide funding support to specific local initiatives in town centres, as well as smaller scale projects that can make a big difference.

Acting Council leader and finance and democracy committee chairman Coun Karen Buckley said: “Our business partners have already been in touch putting forward modest ideas to stimulate the economy and we have responded by granting funds so the businesses themselves can decide on the best way forward for each town centre.

“The funds are part of a wider package of measures, including a £71,758 Reopening High Streets Safely Fund and a Safer Travel Restart Fund to help us out of lockdown.”

The three town centres are currently the subject of various funding bids and regeneration projects.

Kirkham’s multi-million pound Future High Streets Fund project is well under way and a separate Historic England bid for a Heritage Action Zone has been successful.

A town centre working party is overseeing improvements to Wood Street in St Annes and the link between the Square and the seafront while drawing up a new masterplan for the town, and Lytham will get the benefit of £850,000 of on-street improvements in the next 12 months.