Mayor Cooke welcomed Alison McGovern MP, the Local Government Minister, to the town following the announcement of £40m in regeneration funding for the TS3 area.
The government selected Park End and Thorntree to each receive £20m from its Pride in Place programme. Plans on how to invest the money will be finalised this year alongside local people.
Following talks at Thorntree Hub with community groups, the Mayor showcased how the Council was working with partners on key priorities around the town.
The minister was shown around the site of the new Southlands Centre where building work is expected to be complete this spring.
Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation will run the centre, which will deliver top-class sports, education and community facilities.
The Mayor and minister also toured the Middlehaven area where work continues on the new Outwood Academy Riverside.
Detail on the Council’s aim to build up to 3,400 homes alongside new leisure and retail facilities on land around the Old Town Hall and towards the waterfront was also shared with the minister.
The minister was given an impromptu tour of the Old Town Hall’s former council chamber, with work on a £6m redevelopment funded by the government and the National Lottery Heritage Fund set to start this month.
Thurday’s visit came days after Mayor Cooke spent time in Downing Street with Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The Mayor said that talks with the Prime Minister and other members of the Cabinet were important for Middlesbrough.
“I’ve spent a long time making the case for Middlesbrough and fighting to ensure our town gets more of the support that it deserves,” he said.
“The recent Local Government Finance Settlement was beneficial for us and has allowed us to put forward a positive budget that includes serious investment in the look and feel of our town and the future of young people.
“The government has also provided us with extra help for important issues such as homelessness and we’re working hard on the detail of big plans in East Middlesbrough.
“We’ve got a year of progress ahead of us on big regeneration projects and changes to services that can improve people’s lives. It’s good to get the opportunity to showcase that.”
Minister for Local Government and Homelessness, Alison McGovern, said: "It was great to visit Middlesbrough and see first-hand the ambitious plans taking shape here, from the new Southlands Centre to the exciting regeneration at Middlehaven.
“Pride in Place will build on the ambition that Mayor Cooke and the council have for their area by empowering local people to be part of driving the change that matters most to them and deliver real, long-lasting progress for Middlesbrough.”
The development of the new Southlands Centre is being mainly funded by Middlesbrough Council and the government.
MFC Foundation will move its headquarters to the site and deliver activities for people from across the town and beyond.
Head of the Foundation Charlotte Dinsdale said: “This is a long-term investment that, in partnership with Middlesbrough Council, will help us deepen our impact in the area.
“Looking ahead, 2026 will be a landmark year with the completion of our key developments, 30 years of the Foundation, and 150 years of Middlesbrough FC. These milestones aren’t just moments to celebrate - they’re a chance to create more opportunities and deliver even greater impact across our communities.
“There’s a real focus behind this and I’m delighted where we are with it.
“Our focus to create opportunities for people across Teesside is clear: inspire confidence and hope, help our communities thrive, raise aspirations and change lives for the better.”
