Funding has been given to help three of the district's market towns recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) has been successful in securing capital funding from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) to support the economic growth of Huntingdon, Ramsey and St Ives through a series of individual improvement projects, in light of the impacts Covid-19 has had on high streets and town centres.

Applicants for the Combined Authority grants, including (HDC) and partner agencies, were asked to set out how project proposals for towns across Cambridgeshire would respond to the challenge of Covid-19 recovery and help transform the high street, enabling them to be fit for the future.

Projects include: Electrical vehicle charging points, provision of cycle storage and repair facilities as well as town heritage walks, improved public toilets, signage and street furniture and Covid-19 specific interventions such as the piloting of parklets. and the acquisition of a redundant building in Ramsey and the creation of new civic space.

HDC says it now put in team resources and project management to bring the schemes to life for residents of the three towns.

Executive leader of the council, Cllr Ryan Fuller, said: “In conjunction with the three town councils HDC has made submissions to the Combined Authority comprising of 16 projects totalling £2.2 million, which the authority board approved.

“Work is also underway so that these interventions will be enhanced through a range of other projects including support for economic development, the application of digital technology and practical and creative support to help our town centres recover from the effects of the pandemic.”

James Palmer, mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said: “We’ve put millions into market towns across the county. Huntingdon, St Ives and Ramsey are the very soul of Huntingdonshire and I’m delighted the Combined Authority is investing in their plans for recovery and regeneration.

“They’ve come up with brilliant innovations that are people-centred, climate-friendly, and look to the future.

“They rethink public space for greater community wellbeing and embrace the active and low carbon travel that we want to see at the heart of growth that is both good and green.”