A Greater Manchester MP has slammed the latest round of Levelling Up funding as the "final nail in the coffin".
Denton and Reddish MP Andrew Gwynne had supported Tameside Council's bid to transform Denton town centre, which included plans to significantly improve the festival town hall, with a new neighbourhood hub for children’s services and new NHS primary care services.
In a blog post on his own website, Labour MP Mr Gwynne said: “This announcement is the final nail in the coffin of the Government’s levelling-up agenda. In 2019, local people were promised investment which would transform neglected communities – particularly in the north of England.
“Since then, overlooked areas have had to scrap for exclusive pots of money in nothing more than a trumped-up smokescreen to hide this Government’s fundamental failure to improve regional inequalities. The whole thing is a joke, and I’m beyond angry that yet again local people have been let down.
"What have residents got to show for 13 years of Tory Government? Less money in their pocket, council finances decimated, decaying town centres and public services in meltdown. A General Election can’t come soon enough.”
It was one of a number of unsuccessful bids in Greater Manchester, with proposals in the boroughs of Manchester, Bolton, Rochdale, and Stockport also falling by the wayside. Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South East, added: “The outcome of Bolton Council's Levelling-Up fund bid is beyond disappointing. I supported the town centre redevelopment plan, which would have given a new lease of life to our local community, attracted new, independent businesses, and given us something to be proud about once again. Sadly, this bid was rejected.
“Our town centre can be a place which thrives once again, but it needs the Government to support it. We need a fairer business tax system which levels the playing field between online and bricks and mortar businesses, better public transport, and real investment, which the next Labour Government will deliver"
In total, Greater Manchester has been pledged around £60m of a £2.1bn government pot, as part of the second round of funding, with bids in Wigan, Oldham and Partington in Trafford getting the green light. Mayor Andy Burnham said that he welcomed the news but questioned the 'random' approach of how the money is allocated.
Speaking on BBC Radio Manchester this morning (January 19) he said: "Always you've got to be happy with that money and Partington, an area I know really well, is often a bit cut off and doesn't get the attention it deserves so that's brilliant.
"I went to watch the Verve at Haigh Hall in 1998 and that was a night so obviously an incredibly important heritage for us in the Wigan borough - that's great. Obviously Oldham as well and the future-facing project that they've got funding for.
"But Bolton had bids in and they didn't get them, some of our other local authorities had bids in and didn't get them. I can't work out how the South East gets more than Yorkshire. What's all that about?
"These things that are being funded... local government used to have the funding to do this anyway because these are basic local projects. Now we're in a world where they have so little money that if the government sprinkles a little money, everyone's meant to give them applause.
"I'm not saying it isn't welcome but scattering it randomly, where there's winners and losers, is that Levelling Up? Does everybody feel that's really going to change life in the North of England. I will applause it but you have to give me some latitude to say 'is this it?'"
A government spokesman said: “The Levelling Up Fund is investing in infrastructure that improves everyday life across the UK, spreading opportunity to historically overlooked areas. All projects were subject to a rigorous assessment process under robust, fair and transparent rules, with no involvement of local MPs in the selection process.”
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