Mid Suffolk: Council hands out £5.1m for post-Covid recovery

Stowmarket is one of three places that will share £100,000 to develop town centre "vision" projects

Some £5.1m will be used to help boost communities and recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, Mid Suffolk District Council said.

The money was allocated after a series of cross-party task groups discussed areas in need of support.

Included in the projects were £75,000 for domestic abuse victim support and £38,000 to tackle obesity in schools.

Conservative council leader Suzie Morley said it would "make a huge difference to our local communities".

The money has been taken from reserves which the Conservative and independent administration said it could now use to invest in post-Covid recovery, reported the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

In total, 39 projects will receive funding, including one getting £100,000 for an apprenticeship scheme for those at risk of homelessness.

Town centre "vision" projects for Stowmarket, Needham Market and Eye will receive £100,000 in total, and the same amount will be given in Covid recovery grants for community groups.

Mid Suffolk District Council leader Suzie Morley said the money would make a difference in the area

Ms Morley said: "I am very proud of the proposals I am setting out today.

"Make no mistake - we will see far better outcomes for both businesses and people as a result."

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Keith Welham from the opposition Green and Liberal Democrat group said it was "a brilliant idea that we should spend some of this money instead of keeping this in jam jars".

But that group's deputy leader John Field questioned whether fewer projects with larger settlements would yield more results.

Work finalising the details of the projects and their timescales will now take place.