JILL MORTIMER MP: Excited about the impact the £20m fund will have on town

“Delighted to share with you the breaking news that Hartlepool has been selected as one of 55 towns to share in the Government’s £1 billion ‘Long Term Plan for Towns’.”

In simple terms, Hartlepool is set to benefit from an additional £20 million funding over the next 10 years, in an endowment-style fund to invest in our residents’ priorities.

It must be noted that this most recent funding heading our way is in addition to the £25 million Town Fund Deal and the £16.6 million Levelling Up Fund of which Hartlepool is already benefiting from.

The Long Term Plan for Towns will help to empower local people to decide how money should be spent in Hartlepool and to tackle the issues which matter to them. Similarly to the Town Fund Deal, a Town Board made up of residents, business leaders and local representatives will make decisions on spending and local projects; but the best thing about this plan is that there is a very broad spectrum of areas in which this money can be directed.

People often complain we should be focusing more on getting the simple things right rather than allocating funds for what many view as "nice to have but not essential” – things which could be categorised as leisure or heritage based.

With this plan, we can focus on tackling antisocial behaviour for example, or spending to improve transport links or to support more housing options for local people.

This money will go a long way to helping grow our local economy as well as reinvigorating the push to regenerate Hartlepool town centre. I am very excited about the impact this fund will have on our area and our people, and I am thrilled to have been able to secure this deal – yet another example of the confidence that this Conservative Government has in the potential of Hartlepool, as well as our continued commitment to levelling up the North East.

This week I have spent a number of days away in Manchester at Conservative Party Conference – a great opportunity to big up Hartlepool, engage with important campaigns, charities and working groups and continue important discussions, for example regarding the future of nuclear in our town. More to come on Conference in next week’s column.