THE MONEY from the #BrilliantBarrow campaign must be spent effectively, readers have plead.

The town is in line to secure the maximum award from the Government’s £3.6 billion Town Deal fund for seven ambitious schemes to secure a bright future in Barrow for generations to come.

Karen Mahaffy said: "So much work goes into preparing these applications, so well done to all involved."

Barrow was one of the first towns in the country to secure an offer of £25 million from the fund.

Derek Haslam said: "Barrow could do with a project called get the pavement and potholes sorted out. An absolute disgrace."

Stephen Snell said: "I seem to remember that walking and cycling routes as well as the Marina project were given thumbs down by public, yet councillors have proposed them anyway. So much for listening to what the people want. We have ample cycling and walkways now - what we need is for them to be maintained."

#BrilliantBarrow is made up of seven individual projects: the Barrow learning quarter, community wellbeing hubs, a project to develop locations in the town that can be used to support events, housing renewal, business support, the Marine Village project and new cycling and walking infrastructure.

Peter Sullivan said: "Any chance of using at least some of the money to fix the dire state of local roads and pavements, and give the people of the town some pride in where they live?

"The council no longer even properly inspects them, let alone routinely repairs them. It waits for people to tell them, then, if you're lucky, they blob a bit tarmac in the hole which decays in months."

Councillor Ann Thomson, the leader of Barrow Borough Council and a member of the #BrilliantBarrow board, said: “All seven projects are incredibly exciting and have the potential to transform the future for our communities in so many ways."

Patricia Carroll said: "Does this include Dalton and surrounding area, or just Barrow yet again?"

Michael Hew said: "Barrow needs every pound it can get!"