“Levelling up should be led by evidence of where crucial investment needs to go to, not based on costly competitive bids between areas."
Responding to the announcement of projects awarded in the second round of funding from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, Cllr Kevin Bentley, Chairman of the LGA’s People and Places Board, said:
“This latest round of levelling up funding will give those councils who were successful the ability to forge ahead with ambitious plans to transform their communities and improve the lives of residents.
“Fulfilling these projects has become more challenging due to rising inflation and costs, particularly in the building industry, impacting on their potential to be fully realised.
“Levelling up should be locally led by evidence of where crucial investment needs to go to, not based on costly competitive bids between areas.
“This is not a sustainable approach to economic development or public service delivery, as it falls short of the challenge set out by the Levelling Up White Paper and the ambitions of local leaders for their residents and places.
“The Government must boost local productivity and save money, through building on the White Paper’s commitment to streamline the long list of individual local growth funds.
"Local government must be trusted with the powers and funding to deliver for their communities.”