'Brighter future for residents of overlooked towns' – £20m set for four areas of Black Country to help regenerate high streets

The announcement made on Saturday will see Bilston, Darlaston, Dudley and Smethwick all given an endowment-style fund to be spent over the course of a decade.

They are four of 50 "overlooked" UK locations which will benefit from the scheme, which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said was about putting ''funding in the hands of local people" to improve their communities.

It is set to be used on local priorities such as reviving high streets, tackling anti-social behaviour, improving transport, boosting visitor numbers and growing the local economy.

The towns will also benefit from access to new regeneration powers to unlock more private sector investment by auctioning empty high street shops, reforming licensing rules on shops and restaurants, and supporting more housing in town centres.

In addition to the direct support for the four areas, the Government is launching a Towns Taskforce to support towns in England, helping newly formed town boards to develop their plans, and advise them on how best to take advantage of government policies, unlock private investment and engage their communities.

Dudley North MP Marco Longhi said: "I am delighted Dudley has been selected as one of the first 55 towns to benefit from the Conservative government’s new Long-Term Plan for Towns, securing a brighter future for residents.

“People will be pleased to hear that Dudley is getting the support it deserves, showing the Government’s levelling up agenda in action and it will also benefit from the taskforce which will advise council officials on how best to engage with their community."

Walsall's regeneration boss, Councillor Adrian Andrew welcomed the funding for Darlaston which has been struggling for years to attract shoppers.

He said: "This is brilliant news for Darlaston and very much needed for this proud town.

"It will help the transformation of the borough and complement the £1.5billion of investment the Borough is seeing be delivered.

"Once we know we known the criteria for spending the money, we will be speaking to businesses and residents about where it should be invested."

The announcement, made on Saturday, will see 55 towns, including seven in Scotland and four in Wales given the money, to be spent over a ten year period.

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said: “This will empower communities in every part of the UK to take back control of their future, taking long term decisions in the interests of local people.

“It will mean more jobs, more opportunities and a brighter future for our towns and the people who live and work in them.”