Bradford Council is pleased to receive an additional £20 million in funding for Keighley as part of the Government’s Levelling Up programme.
This recent funding allocation, as outlined in the government’s Long-Term Plan, supplements the £33.6 million secured in 2021 for enhancements in Keighley and its surrounding areas under the Towns Fund initiative.
The Long-Term Plan for Towns mandates town boards to formulate their own enduring strategies, spanning a decade, tailored to local concerns, which encompass:
Enhancing transportation and connectivity to facilitate easier travel for residents, as well as attracting more visitors to the town centres, thereby bolstering opportunities for small enterprises and job creation.
Addressing criminal activity and anti-social behaviour to ensure the safety of residents and entice visitors through improved security measures and targeted policing.
Enriching town centres to render high streets more appealing and accessible. This includes repurposing vacant shops for residential use, establishing additional green spaces, maintaining cleanliness of streets, and hosting market days.
Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport said: “We welcome this additional investment into Keighley, which is a testament to the good work of our Towns Fund Board in delivering the £33m secured already.
“We’ve already been developing a long-term plan for Keighley and are about to publish our Keighley Development Framework for public feedback.
“However, it’s a shame that Shipley has not been included for additional funding, and we will continue to make the case for all our towns that they deserve investment too.
“£20m over ten years will make a difference in Keighley, but it is within the context of a funding reduction of £350m for the Bradford district by central government in the last ten years.”
