Government urges towns to take advantage of advice and funding following Portas' Pilots

Housing Minister Grant Shapps wants towns that missed out on Portas' 'Town Team' funding to apply to become a 'Town Team partner', which would provide them with  Government support to help put elements of their proposed town plans into action.

In addition to the Government providing advice to selected Town Team partners, it has also set up a network of professionals, including retail experts, who will advise towns and plans to stage events to provide information.

The Government has also urged towns to apply for funding under the already announced 'Future High Street X-Fund', which is allocated to towns that have delivered the most "effective and innovative" plans to bring their town centres back to life.

Successful towns would be awarded part of a £1 million fund which would be distributed to the areas that have made the greatest improvements. Areas will be judged on increased footfall or turnover or improved skills and employment levels, the Government said.

"Having witnessed the overwhelming response from over 400 towns to our search for Portas Pilots, I'm determined that the energy and enthusiasm they displayed is not lost, and that every area has the opportunity to breathe new life into their high streets," said Shapps."I'm calling on MPs to apply for their towns to become Town Team partners, so that communities can put their plans into action with the backing of retail experts as well as learning the lessons from other town teams from across the country."

"For those who make the greatest improvements to their high streets, I look forward to awarding them with a share of the £1m Future High Streets X-Fund so that they can continue their sterling work to bring their town centres back to life," he said

The support package following the Government's Portas Pilot scheme, which was aimed a rejuvenating high streets. Under the scheme the Government awarded funding to pilot towns to help them implement recommendations made by Mary Portas following her review of the high streets.