Further concerns over allocation of levelling up funds

It has been revealed two councils represented by Conservative ministers have received funding from the ‘Levelling Up’ fund, despite being among the least deprived fifth of local authorities nationwide.

The constituency of Bromsgrove, where Health Secretary Sajid Javid is MP, received £14.5 million in the first tranche of funding from the scheme, whilst Central Bedfordshire, represented by Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, received £26.7 million in levelling-up funding for transport improvements and a community wellbeing hub.

The scheme’s prospectus states that the Levelling Up fund is designed to combat regional inequality by investing in infrastructure that ‘brings pride to a local area’. Data shows that just under half of the 65 English local authorities that will benefit from funding announced in the recent Budget speech are among the country’s most deprived fifth.

Although more Labour councils than Conservative-controlled ones received funding in this first tranche, Tory councils did better per capita at £93 per head of population compared with £65 per head for Labour councils.

A spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: “This analysis is nonsense. The selection process for the levelling-up fund is transparent, robust and fair, and we publish the criteria on gov.uk. The first round of funding will help to ensure opportunity is spread more equally across the UK by empowering local leaders, improving public services and restoring pride in place.”