It’s fair to say last week’s announcement of the regions and projects that would benefit from round two of the levelling up fund did not go as the government hoped. The whole system was pilloried as inefficient and unfair, but there seemed to be more animated defence of the prime minister getting caught not wearing a seat belt. Why did councils have to compete with one another to secure funding? Why wasn’t funding devolved to the local level where people knew how best to spend it? Why did funds remain in Whitehall while inflation ate into the ability of councils to accomplish their bids?
Andy Street, the Conservative mayor of the West Midlands and an influential voice on the issue within the party, did not hold back. He said: “This episode is another example as to why Whitehall’s bidding and begging bowl culture is broken… I cannot understand why the levelling up funding money was not devolved for local decision makers to decide on what’s best for their areas.”
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