RESIDENTS of Keighley and Shipley will soon get to find out what a £25m pot of cash for each town could be spent on - and will be asked if they agree with these priorities.

Last year both towns were included on the Government's list of areas that will each benefit from the Towns Fund investment - aimed at regenerating often neglected areas and encouraging business growth and investment.

For much of the year a Towns Fund board for each area has come together to look at how the money, designed to improve connectivity, land use, economic and cultural assets, skills and enterprise infrastructure in the towns, will be spent.

The Keighley Town Deal Board, which includes businesses, local MP Robbie Moore, stakeholder organisations, the voluntary and community sector and representatives from Bradford Council and Keighley Town Council, is leading the work in Keighley, with the support of many other local businesses and community stakeholders.

The £10.3 million new look for Hard Ings Road in Keighley

A vision and objectives for the Town Investment Plan have been drawn up and ideas for more than 50 different projects have now been gathered by the Board.

The Shipley Town Deal Board, which also includes businesses, local MP Philip Davies, stakeholder organisations, the voluntary and community sector Council representatives and Shipley Town Council, is leading the work.

For Shipley over 35 different projects have now been gathered by the Board.

The next step for both boards is to choose the projects that will make the biggest difference to the town and will be submitted for government support.

On December 22, these chosen projects will be shared on the website https://www.bradford.gov.uk/regeneration/towns-fund/keighley-town-fund/ (or/shipley-town-fund) with links to a feedback form, to make sure that over Christmas and New Year the wider community can have their say on the ideas the boards propose to put forward for funding.

Ian Hayfield, chair of the Keighley Town Deal Board and Director of Hayfield Robinson Limited, said: “I’m extremely proud of the way we’ve all worked together to develop a vision, objectives and project ideas that will deliver real economic and social change for everyone in Keighley, despite everything Covid 19 has thrown at us this year. The project ideas being proposed are really exciting.”

Adam Clerkin, who is chair of the Shipley Town Deal Board and Head of Operations at CarnaudMetalbox Engineering, said: “I’m very excited by the way we’ve all pulled together on this fantastic opportunity to deliver a lasting legacy for Shipley that will benefit the community for years to come. Our finished Town Investment Plan needs to be a true Shipley effort, so I encourage everyone to have their say when we share our chosen projects on December 22.”

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “I would like to encourage everyone to have their say when we share our projects on December 22.

"This government funding is crucial to ensure a better future for the town, so our finished Town Investment Plan needs to be a true Keighley-wide effort.”

On the Shipley Board, he said: "“We’ve developed a vision, objectives and project ideas that I’m confident will secure this crucial government funding and really drive Shipley forward, despite everything Covid 19 has thrown at us this year. Please do make sure you give us your feedback about this important plan for Shipley’s future."

Once the Town Investment Plan has been completed it will be submitted to the government at the end of January 2021.