The government will invest £241m in regenerating the UK’s high streets in the next financial year, the chancellor announced in today’s (Wednesday) spending review.
Sajid Javid said the money would be allocated from the New Towns Fund in 2020-21 to support the regeneration of high streets, town centres and local economies.
Javid also confirmed that 2,000 new police officers would be in place by the end of March 2020 as part of the government’s commitment to recruit 20,000 additional officers by 2023.
An extra £750m will be invested in policing to fund 6,000 officers by the end of 2020-21, he added.
Association of Convenience Stores chief executive James Lowman said: “Convenience retailers are continuing to invest in crime prevention measures in their store but it is vital that they are supported by police and the criminal justice system. More police on the streets are welcome, but this must be accompanied by a joined up approach to tackling repeat offenders and crimes like theft and abuse being taken seriously by the justice system.”
Other spending commitments included providing small businesses with access to finance via the British Business Bank, in order to help them grow.
The spending review was announced ahead of the Budget, which is earmarked for later this year.
However, Prime Minister Boris Johnson will seek to trigger a General Election on October 15 if opposition MPs and rebel Tory MPs succeed in blocking a no-deal Brexit on 31 October.
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