The Government has pledged £5 million for a renovation project in memory of the three young girls murdered in Southport.
Sir Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner met the parents of Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King in Downing Street on Tuesday.
The Town Hall gardens in Southport will be renovated in their memory, a project the families have said is “rooted in love, resilience and unity”.
As well as the £5 million from central government, the work will also be funded by £2.5 million each from Sefton Council and the Liverpool City Region, bringing the total investment to £10million.
In a meeting at Number 10 on Tuesday afternoon, Sir Keir thanked the families for their “continuing courage and resilience”.
“We sit here as Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, we sit here as human beings with families of our own, and we sit here on behalf of millions of people who would love to see the plans and to say well done for bringing them forward and getting to this point,” he said.
He also told them Ms Rayner will “personally oversee” the implementation of the project.
Elsie, Bebe and Alice were murdered by Axel Rudakubana at a Taylor Swift-themed class in Southport in July last year. He was jailed for a minimum of 52 years in January.
The families of the young girls said the project is “a vision we have all shared for some time, which is rooted in love, resilience and unity”.
They added: “We wanted to find a way to thank the people of Southport for standing shoulder to shoulder with us. Your compassion has never wavered and your strength has helped carry us forward.
“The regeneration of the Town Hall Gardens will become a legacy inspired by our three beautiful and amazing girls, and it will be a space that is loved by many generations to come. It will be a place of joy, hope and community.
“A vibrant place where children and families can feel safe, connected and celebrated in the heart of our town.”
According to Sefton Council, the regeneration will create a family-friendly and child-oriented space that will also host open-air performances.
Ms Rayner said she is “delighted” ministers are “able to help with the families’ vision to give back to that amazing community” in Southport.
“We are committing £5 million to help create a safe community space for connection, reflection and renewal – a lasting symbol of hope, guided by the strength of the families and wider community.”
Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said the gardens “became a place of reflection” following the killings.
“This regeneration is a powerful opportunity to give something back to that same community; a lasting symbol of hope and joy.
“By putting children, families and the arts at its core, we’re creating a space that honours the memory of Elsie, Alice and Bebe in the most meaningful way: by inspiring future generations.”
Leader of Sefton Council Marion Atkinson said the space will “reflect Elsie, Alice, and Bebe’s vibrancy in a beautifully positive way”.
She added: “This project is a thank you to the people of Southport — to everyone in the town, in Sefton and beyond who played their part, big or small, in bringing unity and hope to the town.
“We have consistently said that we would be led by the families and Sefton Council is privileged to have the opportunity to support them in fulfilling their shared ambition.”
