By Tom Lowe2021-06-09T08:59:00+01:00 More than £700m to be given to 30 towns across England Over £700m in funding will be given to 30 towns in England to help their economies recover from the pandemic, the government has announced. It is the latest tranche of funding from the government’s Towns Deals, which have already been agreed for 83 towns totalling £2bn since 2019. Hastings, Hartlepool, Bedford and Bishop Auckland are among those receiving funding, which the government said will go towards creating jobs and regenerating neglected areas or unused buildings for businesses, community events and new homes. Among the projects being planned is a civil engineering institute in Hartlepool to boost skills in the area, with the town also using its £25m share to build a new health academy.