[Falkirk, 03.09.2026] Falkirk MP Euan Stainbank has welcomed the release of £3,665,499 for the Forth Valley today, the first instalment of a £9.8 million three-year investment for the region under the UK Government’s new Local Growth Fund.
The money forms part of a £140 million UK Government fund being released today to five of Scotland’s Regional Partnerships, with £52.1 million released in this first tranche. Rather than being controlled centrally, the funding goes directly to regional decisionmakers, allowing local leaders in Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire to tailor plans to regional priorities.
In Forth Valley, the investment will support skills and employability services and specialist support for growth businesses, help unlock vacant or stalled housing sites through the Forth Valley Housing Enablement Fund and establish new Regional Partnership and Programme Management functions.
The fund is targeted at areas with the lowest household incomes and is designed to create high-skilled jobs, support local businesses and boost living standards for working families, as part of the UK Government’s wider mission to deliver economic growth, reduce child poverty and improve public services across Scotland.
Mr Stainbank said:
“This £3.6 million is welcome news for Falkirk and the wider Forth Valley, and it shows what can be achieved when UK Government funding is delivered to where it is needed most, rather than those who would prefer it to be sent to Edinburgh.
“For too long, the SNP has centralised power and funding decisions at Holyrood. This UK Labour Government is doing things differently, putting additional resources, where they are needed the most and directly into the hands of local partnerships.
“This funding will unlock new houses for local families, give young people the skills they need to get on in life, specialist support to businesses and develop capacity regionally so that we can deliver greater investment in the common challenges the Forth Valley faces.
“This is part of a total £9.8 million commitment to Forth Valley over the next three years, and I will continue to press for this funding to be used to unlock the housing sites, business support and employability programmes that our communities need”.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- Today’s announcement releases £52.1 million from the UK Government’s £140 million Local Growth Fund to Scotland’s Regional Partnerships. Specific individual projects will be confirmed at a later date.
- Forth Valley’s total three-year allocation (2026-27 to 2028-29) is £9.8 million, of which £3,665,499 has been released this month.
- The Local Growth Fund is being delivered alongside other UK Government investment in the region, including funding under the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal and the Pride in Place programme.
Subscribe to Euan Stainbank MP’s monthly newsletter here.