Struggling towns and cities across England are being handed the chance to breathe new life into their ailing high streets. Mary Portas and the Local Government Minister, Grant Shapps, have launched a competition to choose 12 towns to become 'Portas Pilots', with the winners benefiting from a share of £1 million to help turn around their “unloved and unused” high streets. For full details about the initiative please visit the Directgov website here: Directgov Newsroom