The Week in Westminster - 09/03/2019 - BBC Sounds
BBC Radio 4 - The Week in Westminster, 09/03/2019
As Lisa Nandy MP pointed out, the cash is going to go through Local Enterprise Partnerships rather than through local councils - and so, in the case of her home town, decisions about the future of their high street are not being determined locally:
Lisa Nandy : Labour MP for Wigan
Wigan Council fights for the future of the town - Wigan Today
Place North West | Wigan to sign off town centre transformation
Meanwhile in Grimbsby, a former Chancellor was extolling the efforts of the local council - whilst most of the funding will not in fact be controlled by local councils at all:
Only on Friday, Lord Lamont, part of the Town Deal team, enthused about the work being done while addressing Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce’s dinner at Healing Manor Hotel.
He said: “We have every opportunity to make things better, for Grimsby to build itself the future it deserves.”
The teenage town resident who went on to become Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: “The hollowing out of Freeman Street and high streets is common for so many towns. Issues with educational attainment etc. The way in which the council has been tackling this has been very energetic, and I congratulate the chief executive of the council, and the energy put in to work with the private sector.”
Across England, a total of £1 billion will be allocated at Local Enterprise Partnership area level using a needs-based formula, with over half of this share – £583 million – going to the Northern Powerhouse. Another £600 million will be available through a competitive process. Local partners will be encouraged to come together to bring forward ambitious proposals in the coming months.
Grimsby highlighted as £1.6 billion strong towns fund unveiled - Grimsby Live
Yes, that's £600m for 'bidding' between councils and £1bn as determined by central government - via LEPs.
Meanwhile in Devon:
MP says SW needs reassurance about cash for towns
15:43 5 Mar
A Conservative MP has criticised the government's new Stronger Towns initiative for overlooking parts of the South West. Cornwall North MP Scott Mann said his constituency had areas of high deprivation, yet had not been allocated any of the £1.6bn on offer nationwide.
The pot is split into £1bn, divided in England using a needs-based formula, and £600m communities can bid for. Of all of that, south-west England is to receive £33m, the government says.
Mr Mann said Cornwall had always scored "very highly in terms of social deprivation and funding [to address it]" and he wanted Treasury assurances that his constituency would benefit.
Treasury Minister Robert Jenrick said the announcement "does provide support for the South West" in terms of the direct funding to be paid to local enterprise partnerships.
He added that towns in Mr Mann's constituency "should bid into" the competitive fund of £600m.
BBC Devon & Cornwall Live: 5 March - BBC News
See also:
Futures Forum: Brexit: and "the government not listening to the concerns of the people of the South West"
And:
Futures Forum: "Government announces small bit of funding for something that needs a bigger bit of funding" > 'Stronger Towns Fund' vs local government cuts
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See also:
Futures Forum: Brexit: and "the government not listening to the concerns of the people of the South West"
And:
Futures Forum: "Government announces small bit of funding for something that needs a bigger bit of funding" > 'Stronger Towns Fund' vs local government cuts
.
.
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