High streets across Doncaster borough to get cash injection as part of Government’s ‘Welcome Back Fund’

Doncaster Council has signed off over £270,000 from Government to improve high streets across the borough through a range of projects.
Deputy mayor Glyn JonesDeputy mayor Glyn Jones
Deputy mayor Glyn Jones

Cabinet members accepted the ‘Welcome Back Fund’ which will go towards shop shutters, lamp post sleeves, new bins, new benches, welcome banners and marketing resources to promote towns and villages across the borough.

In response to Covid-19, in June 2020 Government announced they would hand £50 million to councils to deliver a ‘reopening high streets safely’ programme.

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Councils were requested to submit an action plan which would cover activity eligible under the fund. A steering group was formed to put together a plan for spend and the subsequent plan was approved by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

Money was spent on items such as sanitiser units across the main high streets in the borough, safety promotional messages including talking and digital signs in the town centres and a pedestrian safety scheme on Nether Hall Road.

In March 2021 ahead of non-essential retail re-opening on April 12, Government allocated a further £276,790 to Doncaster Council under what is now called the Welcome Back Fund.

All of the money has to be spent by March 2022.

Deputy mayor councillor Glyn Jones said the money is split into five areas which cover central, north, south and east Doncaster as well as the town centre.

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The areas initially had the same share of the £276,000 but it was agreed that the four areas outside of the town centre would receive a larger chunk of the money,” deputy mayor Coun Jones said.

Each of the four localities will get around £65,000 while the town centre will get £15,000.

Councillor Nigel Ball, cabinet member for public health, leisure, culture and planning, said: “It’s extremely pleasing to see and for my own perspective, it good to see some of our less affluent areas and townships that have really suffered and struggled during the pandemic are going to be getting the lion’s share of this.

“It will give them that much needed kick start and certainly our mining communities would certainly benefit from this massively.”

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