Councils across England have been granted funding by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), to improve traveller sites.

The money will be used to refurbish a number of existing transit and permanent traveller sites as well as to provide better access to healthcare and education.

Nine councils across England – including Kent, Lancaster, Cornwall, Swindon, and Preston – have received a share of £10 million, through DLUHC's Traveller Site Fund.

Improvements include new infrastructure, such as stabling for horses, improved utilities and play areas for children.

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The investment aims to reduce the numbers of unauthorised traveller sites in England as well as reducing enforcement costs.

One example of improvements can be found at Preston's Leighton Street Traveller Site. The site has been awarded £337,220 to refurbish and improve the condition of the site, including the upgrade of electrical equipment giving the residents greater control over their energy bills and running costs of the site.

Commenting on the announcement, Minister for Levelling Up, Dehenna Davison MP, said: "We are supporting councils to improve travellers' life chances and build cohesion between the settled and traveller communities.

"This funding is just one of the many ways we are improving opportunities for communities across the country, as part of the Levelling Up agenda."

Speaking on the impact in their area, Leader of Preston City Council, Councillor Matthew Brown, said: "We are delighted to receive this much-needed funding. It means residents now have better access to energy on the site, giving them greater control, flexibility, and money saving options on their outgoing energy bills."