Northumberland County Council has welcomed today’s announcement by the Levelling Up Secretary the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP that people across Blyth are set to benefit from government investment to level up the town by upgrading poor quality housing, tackling health inequalities, improving access to local jobs and cutting crime. 

Measures announced today include: 

• Housing: An £18 million boost will repurpose run-down and empty homes into high-quality affordable housing to rent and convert under-occupied offices into new apartments. Some of the funding will also go towards making social housing more energy-efficient. 
• Employment support: Almost £1.5 million will fund new high-tech training equipment at the town’s Energy Central Campus, providing local young people with a route to high-quality jobs on their doorstep. 
• Anti-social behaviour: A £200,000 initiative to reduce crime in Blyth including by extending CCTV provision in the town centre and establishing a new partnership between local businesses and the police. These interventions will target anti-social behaviour, substance misuse and theft in particular. 
• Health: Government will strengthen local partnerships between Jobcentre Plus and NHS services in Blyth so more disabled people and those with health conditions are supported to start, stay and succeed in work. DHSC is also working with Northumberland Council to support more smokers to quit, complementing the £35 million recently allocated to address health inequalities across the whole of the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System over the next 3 years. 

This additional investment will support the town’s transition from a coal exporting town to a leading clean energy port.

The government support announced today aims to tackle the complex barriers holding Blyth back and unlock a major programme of regeneration for the 40,000 people living in the area. It follows similar bespoke packages in Grimsby and Blackpool, and forms part of DLUHC’s ‘deep dive’ programme, working in partnership with local leaders and businesses to target investment and address the unique challenges of deprived towns.

As with North East Lincolnshire and Blackpool, Northumberland was one of the areas identified in the Levelling Up White Paper as the most left behind in the country. 
 

The additional funding announced today takes DLUHC’s investment in Blyth to over £56 million since 2019. 
 

Councillor Glen Sanderson, Leader of Northumberland County Council, said: "This is a significant investment and fantastic news for Blyth. It means we can deliver better homes, improve neighbourhoods and reduce crime in partnership with Northumbria Police, local businesses and the community.
 

"Investment at the Energy Central Campus and additional support to connect NHS services and Job Centre support will help residents to secure jobs in the town’s clean energy industry."
 

"Today’s announcement boosts the multi-million-pound investment already planned through the council’s Energising Blyth Programme and Northumberland Line meaning we can now go further to realise Blyth’s huge potential at the heart of the Northumberland and the North East economy."
 

Alan Ferguson OBE, Chair of Blyth Town Deal Board and Owner of Ferguson’s Transport, said: "This is a real boost for Blyth helping us to deliver improvements that are much needed. The support will accelerate our work together to grow, renew and connect the town, crucially ensuring that local people are included in the opportunities in the town. 
 

"It will galvanise partnership work between the business community, public sector and community partners to deliver real change on issues that are important to the community. 
 

"Blyth is already a fantastic town in so many ways and this investment will make it even better as a place to live, work and invest.
 

"This announcement builds on major Government investment to level up Blyth. This includes a £20.9 million Town Deal and over £11 million through the Future High Streets Fund for transport, cultural and regeneration projects. 
 

"An additional £4.75 million has helped develop industrial sites in the area, while Northumberland County Council will see £19.1 million through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and £1.4 billion over 30 years through the North East devolution deal.