Richard has welcomed the news that Biggleswade is one of five town centres in Central Bedfordshire that will receive almost £92,000 from Central Bedfordshire Council's allocation of the UK Shared Prosperity and DEFRA Rural England Prosperity Funds.
Richard Fuller MP said:
Biggleswade Town Council made their successful bid to Central Beds Council setting out the projects they felt would have the most impact in enhancing local community spaces.
I am pleased that this funding for Biggleswade will be spent on rejuvenating the heart of the town, with better walkways, new heritage and directional signs, a digital information board, and improvements to Century House public toilets.
An additional £29,600 of government funding has been allocated to fund various community and cultural projects. Activities include establishing a film club, telling the story of the town's heritage, and delivering events to develop the daytime and evening economy.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural England Prosperity Fund has given local leaders more say over the spending of funds in their area than previous EU funding, allowing them to control of their own growth investment.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) was a central pillar of the previous government’s Levelling Up agenda and provided £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025 to replace the European Structural and Investment Programme (ESIF).