£22.9 Million Funding Boost for Crewe

Crewe is to benefit from a £22.9m funding boost after being announced as one of the latest UK towns to successfully secure a ‘Town Deal’.

The successful bid was submitted by a ‘Town Board’ made up of representatives from Crewe Town Council (Jill Rhodes, Lab), Cheshire East Council (Nick Mannion, Lab), and other stakeholders from across the town including from local businesses and community organisations.

Projects included in the bid by the town board that will receive funding include the regeneration of Flag Lane Baths, investment in the Cumberland arena, rebuilding the local youth centre and improving connectivity across the town.

The announcement follows the recent news of Labour-led Cheshire East Council’s successful bid to the government’s Future High Streets Fund – a further £14.1m that will be invested in the town over the next three years.

Crewe & Nantwich Labour Party welcomes the investment in these projects, which have been developed through a collective effort by stakeholders across the town. Many of these projects have been considered and thought about for many years and have been campaigned on by the Labour party during that time so we are clearly delighted they will finally receive much needed financial support.

The Flag Lane Baths project is a case in point. Laura Smith campaigned actively on this when she was the MP for Crewe and Nantwich, and Connor Naismith, the successful Labour candidate in the recent Cheshire East Crewe West by-election, was the only candidate to mention the project in that campaign.

Commenting on the successful bid, Councillor Nick Mannion, chair of Cheshire East Council’s economy and growth committee, said: “Today’s announcement marks another significant achievement for Crewe and demonstrates that there is confidence in our shared ambitions for the town and wider area.

“This Town Deal will help shape the town’s long-term growth and development and make sure that we can continue to attract inward investment and economic opportunities –building on what has already been achieved and making the absolute most of opportunities that come our way, including the arrival of HS2.”

Cllr Mannion added: “With a funding offer in place, we can now work with our partners to push ahead with our plans, which will focus on community spaces and connected places, town centre regeneration and culture and heritage.”

Crewe Town Board will now work with Cheshire East Council to agree the full package of projects that will go forward.