MARK Jenkinson MP has welcomed news that multi-million funding for Maryport will stay in the town following his high-level interventions with Government.
The funding was put at risk when the leadership of Cumberland Council pulled the plug on a fully funded shovel-ready swimming pool for the town.
But to prevent the funding being lost altogether, Mark backed an eleventh-hour Project Adjustment Request (PAR) from the local authority which has been given the green light this week.
His support proved critical to securing approval from Government, allowing the revised scheme can go ahead.
The revised plans include an extension of the Wave Centre, a promenade café, splash park and boardwalk – and included areas which fell outside the original boundaries of the £11.5m bid to the Future High Street bid.
Welcoming the news, Mark said: “I am absolutely delighted that these projects can go ahead following my conversations with both Levelling Up Minister Jacob Young, and his predecessor Dehenna Davison.
“Maryport has too often been overlooked, and I was determined the town would not miss out on this transformative funding. I have fought tooth and nail for this investment to stay in the town – and I am pleased that this request has been heard, despite the best efforts of the Labour-led council to scupper this.
“I would like to thank the Maryport Business Group for the work they have done to keep the community informed. Despite the lack of vision and ambition shown by Cumberland’s leadership, I know that council officers worked hard on the revised bid, and I look forward to progress being made on its delivery.
“Much as I would have preferred to see the original iteration of the scheme go forward, I made clear in my conversations with Government that I would hate to see the people of my constituency miss out on the benefits that this alternative scheme will bring, whilst recognising that the benefits would have been far greater if we had the swimming pool planned as part of the original submission.”
