Sarah Green

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Furniss. I must say how good it is to stand up in Westminster Hall to speak enthusiastically about an initiative like this one. I thank the hon. Member for Halesowen (Alex Ballinger) for securing today’s debate, because investment is often focused on cities and larger urban areas, so the town of culture initiative is truly welcome. Having spoken to interested groups in my constituency, I know there is real excitement about the initiative and the fact that it will draw attention to towns where creativity, heritage and culture are already thriving. Becoming a town of culture will act as a catalyst for growth, allowing hidden gems to shine. As well as boosting local pride, it could help to support high street recovery and create opportunities for residents, especially young people, who may never have considered employment in the creative sector before. At its heart, however, the initiative is about empowering local people—artists, musicians and volunteers as well as schools, community groups and local businesses—to create a cultural programme that reflects the identity of their town. That sense of ownership, and the platform it gives to local organisations, is what makes the initiative so powerful. It invites groups in local communities to work together to showcase what their town has to offer, and to tell their own unique story to the rest of the UK—and their MPs are doing a stellar job on their behalf in this debate. I can tell the Minister that I have a town in my constituency, Chesham, where community groups, volunteers and businesses are champing at the bit to get started on their application. Frankly, it is brilliant to see. In his remarks, will he answer the questions that they have asked me, by clarifying the timeline that he is working to and confirming which authorities must support a bid?