Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what (a) financial and (b) other steps his Department is taking to support high streets in Coventry during the covid-19 outbreak.

Up to 18 December 2020, Coventry City Council has received £5,477,193 of funding for the Local Restrictions Support Grants (LRSG) (Closed and Open) and the Christmas Support Payment, and £7,430,420 under the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG).

As at 18 January 2021, Coventry reported payments to local business under the LRSG (Open and Closed) and the Christmas Support Payment to a value of £2,216,236 and under the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) of £4,957,060.

Coventry City Council have also been allocated £335,000 through the Reopening High Streets Safely Fund (RHSSF) to support the recovery of their high streets and city centre.

More widely, the Levelling Up Fund will directly support communities across the UK. It will make available up to £4.8 billion over four years from 2021-22 to 2024-25. The Fund will invest in local infrastructure that has a visible impact on people and their communities - including regenerating town centres and high streets, investing in local transport schemes, and upgrading local culture and heritage assets. The prospectus published at Budget sets out how local areas can access the first round of funding.

Government is also providing support to local leadership through the High Streets Task Force, giving places expert advice to support their high streets and town centres to adapt and thrive. Coventry has been able to benefit from this as one of the pilot areas that have been leading the way in benefiting from expert and tailored support from the High Streets Task Force, before this offer is rolled out across the country later this year.