RISHI Sunak refused to confirm if Clacton will receive the £20million the Government has promised the town if his party loses the next General Election during a visit to the resort.
The Prime Minister visited the seaside town on Wednesday to see projects which have been funded by the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
Earlier this month, No 10 announced Clacton as one of 55 towns which will receive £20million over the next ten years to regenerate the town centre and tackle anti-social behaviour.
But when asked by the Gazette if the long-term funding was guaranteed should the Conservative Party lose the next General Election, Mr Sunak refused to provide reassurances to the town’s residents.
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“I intend to win the next General Election and we want to make sure Clacton will get that money,” he said.
“That’s very much the commitment of this Conservative government to the people of Clacton. We want to give this £20million long-term funding for the people of Clacton to decide how to make sure they can continue improving their local community.”
He vowed to “constantly remind everyone in Westminster that more people live in towns than in cities”.
Tendring Council leader Mark Stephenson said the visit was a “great opportunity to show the Prime Minister what a fantastic area Tendring is”.
Why was Rishi Sunak in Clacton?
The Prime Minister visited Clacton on Wednesday to visit projects supported by Levelling Up funding.
Alongside Tendring Council leader Mark Stephenson and Essex County Council deputy leader Louise McKinlay, Mr Sunak visited Clacton Library which is due to be redeveloped as part of Clacton’s Levelling Up project.
The project will see millions of pounds invested to create a new gateway into the town, providing new community facilities including a library, learning centre, business units, homes, and improvements to public spaces.
Mr Sunak also observed a maths class for adults at the library and visited the Essex Pedal Power cycling initiative.
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