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It is not clear how the Towns Fund fits with other government funding programmes with...

Recommendation
It is not clear how the Towns Fund fits with other government funding programmes with overlapping aims. The Department confirms that, despite the impact of Covid-19 on government spending plans, the £3.6 billion funding allocated to the Towns Fund is secure. It has no plans to do anything other than continue with the Towns Fund and to deliver the fund in a way that maximises the long-term economic growth and productivity of the towns. The Department also confirms that many of the bids are aligned with other funds, both from central and local government, and highlights the importance of aligning the Towns Fund projects with other interventions. But the specific aims of the Towns Fund and how it fits with other, similar programmes of government funding such as the Future High Streets Fund are unclear. Recommendation: The Government should use the opportunity provided by the Spending Review to be clear about the strategic fit of the Towns Fund programme with other funding programmes across government.
Government Response

A response document is linked to this report, dated 4 February 2021. Response attribution to this recommendation has not been verified. Read the response document.

Addressee Bodies
HM Treasury
Timeline
Recommendation age 5.8 yrs
Report published 11 Nov 2020