COMING hot on the heels of the negative Centre for Cities report yesterday, today’s news that Newport has secured £15 million of Welsh Government funding is more than welcome.

The money will enable the council to build as many as 420 inner-city homes and upgrade a further 160 others in projects the council hopes will create 600 jobs.

The money, part of the £100 million Vibrant and Viable Places pot set up by the Welsh Government, is all aimed at town and city centre regeneration.

Newport, and neighbouring Torfaen which secured £8 million, were among 11 local authorities successful in bidding for a share of the money. Minister Carl Sargeant said the project focus was about creating diverse and vibrant town centres and making them attractive places to live.

In that respect the grant fits in perfectly with a lot of the aspirations for Newport.

And it is just one further positive sign that things in Newport city centre will soon start looking up.

The announcement comes just days before a summit is to take place in the city where the Re-Newport project group will discuss their already well-received ideas with business leaders, councillors and other parties.

If this is all about bringing people back into the city centre, then it ties in with many of the ideas put forward by Re-Newport and with what we have been arguing for quite some time.