REDDITCH has secured a £5 million grant to support arts and culture in the town.
The cash was sourced from the Government’s Leveling Up Fund and allocated in this week’s Budget.
This funding injection will support a number of cultural projects in Redditch and will be further discussed with stakeholders.
This will help Redditch Borough Council develop plans for investment in the town.
Rachel MacLean, MP for Redditch, is championing the Palace Theatre, community arts and crafts, pop-up galleries and museums, and is campaigning for more investment from the Prime Minister.
She said: “This is great news for Redditch.
“Arts and culture are built into the fabric of Redditch and celebrate the town’s rich industrial heritage.
“The announcement of the £5m donation will unleash creativity in our town, boost our economy and demonstrate that leveling up can actually benefit the whole country.
“We have a thriving Palace Theatre, which will benefit from increased capacity, and improvements to Forge Mill Museum will enable a range of uses. “This multi-million pound investment will be truly transformative.”
The Chancellor also announced cuts to National Insurance payments, an increase in the child benefit threshold to £60,000 and an increase in the starting level for self-employed people to pay VAT to £90,000.
Coun Matt Dormer, leader of Redditch Borough Council, said: “The news of an extra £5 million from the Government’s Leveling Up Fund to strengthen our leisure and cultural scene is huge for Redditch.
“This is another significant transformation for our town.
“We have already secured £15m of Town Deal funding for projects including digital, manufacturing and innovation centres, and a vibrant town center square and public realm will be built around Church Green West and Unicorn Hill. It has been.
“The future looks bright for Redditch and this additional £5m of funding means we don’t have to stop there.”
Redditch Labor groups have criticized the budget, saying it is “nothing more than a Band-Aid”.
Deputy leader Councilor Sharon Harvey said: “They are ignoring the real issues facing our communities and instead relying on cheap pretense and self-congratulations.”
“Any tax cuts will be washed away by huge bills caused by their incompetence.
“Mortgage rates are rising, inflation is rising, NHS waiting lists are growing and education costs are rising. The only thing that is falling is national dental standards.”