A SCHEME to improve Brierley Hill High Street has been given a near £250,000 boost.

Historic England granted Dudley Council £1.8 million to help deliver the Brierley Hill High Street Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) project.

Thanks to government funding a further £242,171 has been awarded for improvements to the war memorial gardens – taking the total grant from Historic England to just over £2 million.

The cash is being used to clean up the war memorial and to improve several shop and business frontages in the High Street.

Councillor Simon Phipps, cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise, said: “The work is already well under way to clean up and improve the First World War soldier that sits atop the war memorial.

“It was an area of the town that was identified as a high priority for improvement work by residents and business owners, and is a key gateway into the town."