Towns like Bognor Regis to benefit from £20 million cash boost if Conservatives win election, Sunak says

It’s all part of the Long-Term Plans for Towns programme, which already lists some 70 towns across the UK. The Conservatives say that, if they win on July 4, local people in each town will be invited to decide how to use the money.

Bognor Regis is listed alongside towns like Kidderminster in the Midlands, Camborne in the South West, and Halifax in Yorkshire in last weekend’s announcement. It is the only town in the South East set to benefit from the expanded provision.

The Conservatives say ‘new town boards’ will be set up to decide how to use the money, bringing community leaders, business people, local government figures and the local MP together to develop and deliver plans for the town. It’s hoped that, by doing so, the new infrastructure will bring everyday voters closer to the decision-making process, allowing them to more directly influence the transformational potential of the money.

A spokesperson for the Conservative Party said: “Talent is spread evenly across the UK, but opportunity is not. The Conservatives’ levelling up plans have begun to address this, with £15 billion of government funding and billions more in private investment creating real improvements already. But we will go further.

"Through freeports and investment zones, the Conservatives have turbocharged private investment in places that have been overlooked. Already, these zones have attracted new businesses, generated billions in private investment and created thousands of jobs where they are most needed.”

The announcement comes with Labour on track to win a record general election landslide next month, with most national polls predicting a Tory wipeout across the board. The opposition party has so far not announced a policy to match this one, with no comparable plans to directly invest in local towns, but has promised what party leader Keir Starmer calls a ‘new deal’ for working people, featuring a genuine living wage as well as heavy investment in green-energy projects.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “We the Conservatives have a plan for towns because we know they are the beating heart of our country. This bold action will transform 30 more towns – reviving their high streets, growing their local economies and making people feel proud of the place they call home.

“Labour’s record in government shows they don’t care about towns – neglecting their needs, allowing them to decline and focusing instead on cities.

“Building on our strong track record of levelling up in Teesside and the Midlands, we will go further across the country to build a secure future for our children and grandchildren.”

Michael Gove Levelling Up Secretary, added: “This bold action will be transformational for towns around the country. It will allow local people to take back control - creating better jobs, improving transport and generating more investment.

“The Conservatives have a clear plan to spread opportunity so that talent and hard work, not geography, determine people’s life chances.”