In last weeks budget the Government announced a £675m Future High Street Fund:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-high-streets-fund/fut…

In summary, this fund requires competitive bids from local areas to describe their vision for their town or area, working in conjunction with the private sector. The fund also provides for bringing historic buildings in the high street into economic use (Carnegie Library?)

The prospectus will be published later this year and the full bidding process commences in Spring 2019.

Conservative campaigner for Blundellsands ward Martyn Barber said: "I would be interested to know if local Labour Councillors (not just the Cabinet member) will be working collaboratively with St Modwen and other interested parties (local community) seeking to regenerate Crosby Village and indeed other Towns in our constituency (Maghull & Formby need attention) to work up a bid to access the Future High Streets Fund. Sefton Labour Council's track record on applying for Government funds is appalling as they prefer to play gesture politics, perhaps they could start acting like a professional political party and doing everything within their power to help our local communities"