LGA responds to PAC report on levelling up funding

Responding to a Public Accounts Committee report on levelling up funding, Cllr Kevin Bentley, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s People and Places Board, said:

“Turning levelling up from a political slogan to a reality will only be achieved if councils have the powers and funding they need to address regional inequality, tackle concentrations of deprivation and make towns and communities across England attractive places to live, work and visit.

“Competitive bidding for short-term, small pots of funding creates uncertainty and uses up vital resources in councils, which could be better spent on planning ahead for their communities.

“Timely, sustainable funding for levelling up, including the full rollout of UKSPF allocations, alongside clear and measurable targets as specified in this report would go a long way to achieving local solutions to the national challenges we face and ensure all parts of the country are able to prosper in future.”