Pledges for Blackpool from meeting with Prime Minister

Coun Paul Galley met with Mr Sunak and Levelling Up minister Michael Gove after being invited to Westminster along with other senior councillors from around the country.

Coun Galley said: “The meeting with the Prime Minster was in the Downing Street Garden and really positive.

“We spoke about Blackpool Council’s levelling up bids and what happens next. The Prime Minister said he loves Blackpool and will do all he can to support our levelling up plans.

“Having his support in our latest bids around housing will be crucial. It was very positive and I am sure we will see him in Blackpool very soon.”

Coun Galley invited Mr Gove to return to Blackpool to see how levelling up projects are progressing.

He said “I thanked him for all his support with the levelling up bids, he has been a key player in recent years in ensuring our funding bids have been successful.”

Coun Galley also got chance to speak to councillors from other local authorities including Cornwall which shares many of Blackpool’s challenges.

He said: “It also gave me the opportunity to meet a number of council leaders, especially the leader of Cornwall Council who was interested how a Cornishman like myself ended up in Blackpool.

“Cornwall like Blackpool is beautiful in many ways but also has a lot of challenging issues around poverty, housing and jobs.

“We have agreed to meet again and look at ways on how we can support each other especially around economic growth and business development.”

Michael Gove has visited Blackpool for meetings with council leader Lynn Williams to discuss the resort’s ambitious regeneration programme.

Blackpool has received £40m of levelling up funds towards creating a multiversity campus in the town centre, £40m to relocate the courthouse to make way for the Blackpool Central leisure development, and £8m towards converting the former Post Office in Abingdon Street into a hotel.

Funding has also been allocated towards large-scale housing improvements in the town.