Extra £1 million to help revitalise high streets across Telford & Wrekin

The money earmarked as part of Telford & Wrekin Council's 2015/16 budget will be used to revamp "struggling" high streets and could help closed shops reopen their doors, according to Councillor Bill McClements.

The cash, which has been included in the council's revenue budget for day-to-day expenditure, has been put forward as part of the draft budget proposed by the council's ruling Labour administration.

But the opposition Conservative group says the proposed boost is not enough and has promised to add £1 million of capital funding – money for one-off spending such as infrastructure projects – which it said would be used to deliver the improvements.

Councillor Bill McClements, the authority's cabinet member for finance and enterprise, said high streets in the borough needed help.

He added that the project would increase footfall and boost the local economy.

The proposals, which will be discussed by cabinet members at a meeting on Thursday, would see businesses and community groups submit ideas and costings for their plans and, if approved, the council would match those funds.

Councillor McClements said: "Across the country, high streets are struggling and we wanted to give ours a bit of help.

"It is money that the community or businesses can bid for to get shops reopened or the high streets revamped and the idea is that we would match their funding.

"It would not be exclusive for specific projects, we would consider any plans that would see our high streets regenerated.

"This, along with plans to regenerate areas in the borough like Dawley, would spread a little bit of growth."

Councillor Andrew Eade, lead opposition councillor on the borough council, said: "We agree with the principle but it is not enough it does not allow you to do any infrastructure projects at all.

"£1 million of revenue is not enough on its own, it only allows you to look at schemes. Our proposals include adding £1 million of capital funding so we can actually deliver the projects on the ground and allow them to improve the high streets.

"We are very keen to see the centres of our communities shop locally and supporting our high streets it is just a continuation of our policy supporting borough towns."

The administration's proposal would create a £1 million fund, part of which organisations, community groups and businesses could bid for to undertake activity which would increase the appeal, attractiveness of footfall of a centre.

Richard Sheehan, chief executive of Shropshire Chamber of Commerce, said: "We would naturally welcome any initiative to support our market town high streets."

Patrick Beech, who runs Patrick Beech Mortgage and Financial Services in Newport High Street, said: "It is good new the high streets are being supported in this way, so I am all for it if they give it to us. We could definitely spend it and it shows the high street is not dead."

It comes after a £400,000 scheme to breathe new life into Dawley, which will see new homes built on an eyesore pub site and extra car parking, was been given the go-ahead.

The investment will be the next phase in the regeneration of Dawley following the completion of the Phoenix Academy rebuild and improvements to roads.