Newton-le-Willows Long-Term Plan Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Government has provided up to £20 million in funding to be spent on local priorities within Newton-le-Willows over the next 10 years.

Newton-le-Willows Town Board will oversee the development and delivery of the Long-Term Plan and 3-Year Investment Plan. It will meet on a quarterly basis, or more frequently if required, and will bring together a broad range of specialisms to oversee delivery projects to tackle local priorities.

The Board will provide a strategic overview, direction, and scrutiny of delivery against the plan and will work with the Council, as accountable body for the funding.

The Newton-le Willows Town Board consists of a mix of mandated and non-mandated positions led by a private sector Chair appointed by St Helens Borough Council in consultation with the MP for St Helens North.

Mandated Board positions are detailed in the Long-term Plan for Towns Guidance note and form a core part of the Town Board and were extended to include the Chief Executive of St Helens Council and a representative from Liverpool City Region Combined Authority as a strategic partner. The mandated Town Board agreed at its meeting of June 2024 to adhere to the suggested Town Board composition contained within the Long-term Plan for Towns Guidance note  for non-mandated positions , except for creating a role for a senior representative from Merseyside Police (Operations) and two Community roles that were advertised by public advert on the St Helens Borough Council website. Nominations were obtained by ward members from Newton-le-Willows East and West wards and St Helens Borough Council for non-mandated positions.

As outlined in the Long-term Plan for Towns Guidance Note, the Chair, in consultation with the Member of Parliament for St Helens North, met in September 2024 to review applications and nominations for Town Board positions. For those candidates identified via nomination, the Chair wrote to candidates to advise of their nomination. It was agreed at the meeting of Town Board on 28 June 2024 that these candidates would be asked to submit an Expression of Interest for their nominated position that would detail their skill set and suitability for the role.

The shortlisted representatives were invited to an informal 'Welcome Meeting' held for new Board Members in October, before being formally appointed by Town Board on December 13th 2024. The Board Member recruitment route is shown below:

• Chair - Direct Appointment (mandated position)
• Member of Parliament (St Helens North) - Direct Appointment (mandated position)
• A representative from the Police and Crime Commissioners Office (mandated position)
• A Senior representative from the Police - Direct Appointment (mandated position)
• Representative from the Liverpool Combined Authority - Direct Appointment (mandated position)
• Elected Member (Portfolio of the Council Leader) - Direct Appointment (mandated position)
• Elected Member (Portfolio of Inclusive Growth and Regeneration) - Direct Appointment (mandated position)
• Chief Executive St Helens Borough Council - Direct Appointment (mandated position)
• Business Representatives - Co-opted (non-mandated position)
• Community Representative - Advertised position (non-mandated position)
• Faith Representative - Co-opted (non-mandated position)
• Third Sector Representative - Co-opted (non-mandated position)
• Cultural Arts and Heritage, including Sports Representative - Co-opted (non-mandated position)

To view the full list of Board Members and their biographies, please visit Newton-le-Willows Town Deal Board - St Helens Borough Council.

The Town Board contains key representation from across Newton-le-Willows. The Board consists of representatives from the community, local businesses, sports clubs, the third sector, faith groups and public sector agencies, alongside the local MP, and relevant representatives from the Combined Authority and local authority representation.

It is led by Managing Director and Co-Founder of Mercury Hampton Chris Hickey. To view the full list of Board Members and their biographies, please follow the link: Newton-le-Willows Town Deal Board - St Helens Borough Council.

Yes - the Board will be a separate entity from St Helens Borough Council. The council, as accountable body for the fund, will support the Town Board in the development of the Long-term Plan and 3-Year Investment Plan and will report on the Board's progress to central Government.

Towns were selected by Government across both tranches of the Long-Term Plan for Towns based on clear and robust methodology. The full methodology for both the first tranche of 55 towns and the additional 20 towns confirmed at the Spring Statement have been published.

The Government has confirmed towns will receive up to £20million of funding and support. The funding profiles for towns are set out below. The investment for each town will be split between 25% resource and 75% capital. The 'endowment-style' nature of this funding means each town will receive an annual, uniform, predetermined amount that is a broadly flat profile across each year of the 10-year span of the programme, similar to how Mayoral investment funds operate.