Two Ayrshire towns have been handed a huge £20million funding boost.

Kilmarnock and Irvine will each receive the welcome cash injection over a decade as part of the UK Government’s £1.1 billion levelling up investment.

Officials said that funding was for towns across the country that have been “overlooked and taken for granted”.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said today that the funding priorities will be decided by local people with the UK Government set to work with councils on how the cash will be spent.

Officials say the £20m investment over ten years will take the form of an endowment-style fund to be spent on local people’s priorities like regenerating high streets and town centres or securing public safety.

A town centre board will bring together community leaders, employers, local authorities and the town’s local MP to deliver a long-term plan for each town to be put out for consultation in the community.

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