WARRINGTON North MP Charlotte Nichols, has backed five tests set by Shadow Secretary of State, Lisa Nandy, for Levelling Up, which the Government’s Levelling Up plan must convey in order to deliver on the promises of the 2019 election.
Talking about why these tests are important, Charlotte pointed to new research from Labour, which has revealed that virtually every area of England (95%) has received less in funding on average since 2018 than they received from regional development funds, such as the Towns Fund.
In Warrington, local Settlement Funding has reduced in real terms by £35.5 million since 2018, while successful bids through the Levelling Up Fund, Towns Fund and Community Renewal Fund only totalled £22.1 million, showing a £13.4 million real-terms loss for the area since the Government’s levelling up agenda was announced.
The research found that in England 144 local authority areas were still worse off by approximately £50 million on average after receiving Levelling Up funding.
Setting out the tests last Sunday, Ms Nandy said “It simply will not be good enough to give us more of the same – pots of our money to scrap over – without real power on what it’s spent on or a few new mayors. We need to change the settlement of our country back in favour of those who built it.”
“For levelling up to truly deliver on this promise, the Government must meet the ambitions people have for our own communities, specifically, this means:
- Good jobs in our home towns, so young people have choices and chances and don’t have to get out to get on.
- Our high streets are thriving because the local economy is thriving, with good local businesses and money in people’s pockets – not just papering over the cracks.
- Our towns and villages are better connected to jobs, opportunities, our family and our friends through good transport, digital infrastructure and affordable housing that we have too often missed out on.
- We get the power to take local decisions for ourselves – ending the system where we have to go cap in hand to Westminster to do things we know will work for us.
- Our town centres are safe and welcoming instead of plagued by anti-social behaviour, with criminals being let off and victims let down.”
Charlotte Nichols, said: “While the Government is distracted cleaning up the Prime Minister’s scandals, they aren’t governing and they aren’t delivering for Warrington North.
“With these tests, we will see if the Government really intend match the ambition we have for our communities with the power and resources we are owed. People in Warrington aren’t fools and know that a few pots of money to scrap over or some new tiers of bureaucracy won’t cut it.
“We need to change the settlement of our country back in favour of those who built it. That means growing our economy, and ensuring jobs and opportunities are spread fairly across the country so that young people in Warrington North can achieve their ambitions and realise their full potential here in Warrington.”
