About the Long-Term Plans for Towns

In September 2023, the Conservative Government announced their 'Long-Term Plan for Towns' programme, a core part of the Levelling-Up programme, which identified 55 towns across the country that will benefit from up to £20m 'endowment style' funding for investment in local priorities over a 10-year period. 

As part of the spring statement in 2024, the Chancellor confirmed an additional £400m to extend the programme to a further 20 towns across the UK, with Newton-le-Willows identified as a beneficiary.

Guidance issued by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) details that each town will receive an allocation of £19.5m (subject to acceptance of a Long-term Plan) with £0.500m retained by the MHCLG to cover programme management costs and development of a National High Streets and Towns Task Force, which will provide support to Long-Term Plan beneficiaries.

What has been happening?

The first Newton-le-Willows Town Board meeting took place on 28th June 2024. At this meeting, mandated Board members agreed four key items:​

• Board composition and recruitment.  ​
• Terms of Reference. 
• Recruitment of a 'Project Officer' to support delivery of the initiative.

• A procurement exercise to appoint specialist support for Town Board in their development of the Long-Term Plan. ​

To view the Minutes and Agenda from this meeting, and any future meetings, please visit: Newton-le-Willows Board Meeting Documents.​

Shortly following this meeting, the new Labour Government wrote to St Helens Borough Council (SHBC) outlining a milestone review of the programme was being undertaken due to time pressures imposed by the general election. Furthermore, the Minister confirmed suspension of deadlines for Assurance and Governance proposals (gateway 1) and submission of Long-Term Plan (gateway 2). ​

To place the Council in an optimal position to address upcoming milestones, recruitment for the Town Board continued, with MP David Baines and Town Board Chair Chris Hickey meeting in September to review both community applications and nominations for positions from the Council and Ward Councillors. The outcome of this process identified candidates for the following positions and selected two candidates from the community applications: ​

• Four business representatives. ​
• Two community representatives. ​
• One faith representative. ​
• One third sector representative. ​

• One cultural arts and heritage inc. sports clubs representative.

The recruitment process for Town Board members concluded in October 2024 and the Newton-le-Willows Town Board met in its full capacity later in December.

To view the Newton-le-Willows Town Board members, please visit: Newton-le-Willows Town Board.​

​Current position

As part of the Autumn Statement of October 2024, the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) confirmed that the Long-Term Plan for Towns initiative would be retained but reformed as part of a new regeneration programme. The Council has since been working with the Newton-le-Willows Town Board to ready itself for the release of an updated prospectus for the initiative. 

As of 4 March 2025, the Government released the updated prospectus for the Long-Term Plan for Towns initiative, now rebranded as the Plan for Neighbourhoods.

We will endeavour to update these pages, including the Newton-le-Willows Long-Term Plan News and Newton-le-Willows Long-Term Plan Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) with the relevant changes from the programme shortly.