‘Left behind’ places will be “short-changed” and inequality will
grow if money for the NHS, schools and councils is not protected
and ‘levelling up’ plans are not better targeted, peers have
warned.
Ministers must use the promised ‘levelling up’ White Paper to
refocus their strategy to improve health, employment and skills
and better prepare children for school if it wants more jobs,
productivity and pay in deprived communities. according to a new
report by the House of Lords Public Services Committee.
Ministers have been accused of favouring prosperous rural areas
with funds ahead of deprived communities and peers believe that
the government’s strategy “does not recognise high levels of
deprivation in many parts of the country including parts of
London.”
In its report, sent to Prime Minister , the committee warns that if ‘levelling up’
investment neglects social infrastructure – such as community
centres and childcare – and public services it will not help the
most deprived areas:
“Without full transparency and political accountability local
areas will continue to question why they have missed out on
‘levelling up’ funding while others have benefited.”
The committee wants the government to work with local service
providers and users to set targets to improve, for example, life
expectancy, employment, literacy and numeracy of children
starting school and the number of entrants to higher education.
,
committee chair, said:
“Not only places but the people who live in them should be at the
heart of ‘levelling up’. Social infrastructure and support
provided by public services is at least as critical to
communities as investment in roads and bridges.
“Lack of funding for preventative health services, vocational
education and for better literacy and numeracy among
disadvantaged children has undermined the resilience of our
poorest communities and further entrenched inequality.
“Successfully ‘levelling up’ will require a more holistic
approach. A White Paper – which should be published urgently - is
welcome but it’s unclear exactly what the government wants to
level up, how much its strategy will cost, how long it will take
and how it plans to achieve its goals.
“The strategy will require a major change of direction if it’s to
achieve its admirable ambition for people in ‘left-behind’ areas
to have the same opportunities as elsewhere in the country.”
