Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether it is her policy to provide funding through the Towns Fund for projects in Runcorn.

The Towns Fund is made up of two major funding programmes that were announced under the previous government: Town Deals and the Future High Streets Fund competition. Places were invited to develop Town Deal proposals in September 2019 and final Town Deal allocations had been confirmed by July 2021. The Future High Streets Fund competition opened for EOI submission in December 2018; all successful bidders had been confirmed by May 2021.

In July 2021, Runcorn was awarded a £23.6 million Town Deal to support eight ambitious projects. My officials continue to work closely with Halton Borough Council to ensure the delivery of these projects are progressing well, on time and to budget. The Towns Deals Programme is due to close in March 2026 with the expectation that all funding recipients will have contractually committed the entirety of their allocation by this date.

Both components of Towns Fund are now fully committed across 170 high streets, town centres and local communities in England. Funding recipients are well progressed into the delivery of their projects and there is no new funding available.