THE Prime Minister visited Clacton to see how an injection from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund will improve the town.
During his visit to the seaside town on Wednesday, which reportedly saw him travel from Westminster by helicopter, Rishi Sunak saw the site of a £30million redevelopment project and met business owners.
Alongside Clacton MP Giles Watling, Tendring Council leader Mark Stephenson and Essex County Council deputy leader Louise McKinlay, Mr Sunak visited Clacton Library which is due to be redeveloped as part of Clacton’s Levelling Up project.
The project will see millions of pounds invested to create a new gateway into the town, providing new community facilities including a library, learning centre, business units, homes, and improvements to public spaces.
READ MORE: Updates as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visits Clacton
The funding is in addition to a £20million injection into the town over the next ten years which was announced by the Government earlier this month.
Mr Sunak told the Gazette: “It’s precisely because I know more people live in towns than cities that Westminster politicians should focus on them more and that’s what I’m doing.”
Explaining the recently announced ten-year funding for the town, he explained: “Local people are going to be put in charge of how to spend that money on their priorities – whether it be high streets, town centres, the pier, clamping down on anti-social behaviour, and I think that is going to be warmly welcomed.”
But Mr Sunak refused to confirm if the funding was secure should his party lose the next General Election.
He added Clacton MP Giles Watling has been a “fantastic champion of Clacton in Parliament”.
Before returning to Westminster, the Prime Minister visited Clacton Pier and met with owners Billy and Elliot Ball.
Billy said he “welcomes this level of investment from the Government into Clacton”.
“Funding on this scale is good for all businesses, and something that will benefit us all by helping us to grow and further support the local economy,” he added.
Mr Watling said it was a “great pleasure” to welcome Mr Sunak to the town.
He added: "Many MPs try to entice our nation's leader to their own patch, and I am thrilled that I have squeezed so much cash out of him for Clacton that he felt he needed to come here and check it out, see what we are spending it on, and what else we need.
"I am thrilled we are delivering positive change here in Clacton - Levelling Up Fund worth £20m for the town centre, the Levelling Up partnership also worth £20m, £18m for Clacton Hospital, and, believe it or not, the new Long-Term Plan for Towns is yet another £20m – that’s £78m brand new investment coming here.
"The requests I have made, this government has answered.
"I have to say, I first came here to the Clacton constituency in 1957, this government is showing more faith, backed with real cash, in our community than I have ever seen.
"As the PM will know, all MPs go to Westminster to try and bring back the best for their community.
"I’ve always strived to be Clacton’s Man in Westminster, and I am grateful that the Prime Minister has taken such an interest in Clacton – its hopes, its ambitions, and its potential."
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