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A Newry Councillor has expressed his dismay at Newry, Mourne and Down Council missing out on funding aimed at local Councils, from the UK Governments Levelling Up Fund. Newry, Mourne and Down Council didn't apply for any funding from the June funding call but almost £50M was shared between the local Councils who did!
Cllr Gavin Malone had put a Notice of Motion before Newry, Mourne and Down Council in May of this year asking for the Council to maximise their opportunities with the funding and requesting that the Albert Basin Park be considered as a priority for it.
Some of the winners were: Derry City and Strabane Council who received almost £16.3M for Sports Hub Redevelopment, Community Infrastructure and Community Development; Lisburn and Castlereagh Council received £12.2M for Dundonald Ice Bowl; Fermanagh and Omagh Council received £4.1M for Omagh Health Centre and Ards and North Down received £3.2M for Greenway development.
Business Case Needed
Following discussion at the Council's May Enterprise, Regeneration and Tourism Meeting on the on the Levelling Up Fund, Newry, Mourne and Down Council agreed not to apply for funding. Councilllors heard a report from Jonathan McGilly, Assistant Director ERT saying that "While multiple bids can be submitted thre is no guarantee that more than one bid will be successful as the fund aims to spread opportunity across the themes and across the region where acceptable bids are received." Pointing out that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government was making capacity/ development funding available in June to all local authorities to develop proposals McGilly added "If a bid is made in June 2021 applicants will not be able to utilise this funding to build strong bids. For an application to be successful in this initial round the project would need to have Business cases completed and be ready to start constructions work in this financial year."
Great Disappointment
Speaking of his disappointment Cllr Malone said "A number of months ago I tabled a notice of motion requesting that our Council provide the necessary resources needed to maximise the substantial Levelling Up funding being provided by Whitehall.
"It is with great disappointment that today I read that other Council’s availed of this funding programme and guess what our Council never submitted one application."
In the Council's 4 May 2021 Monthly meeting Cllr Malone put forward a Notice of Motion regarding the Levelling up Fund calling for the Council to set up a committee "to develop an innovative strategy and action plan to maximise our opportunities with this substantial pot of money. I also request that the Council’s Number 1 priority ie; ‘The People’s Park’ on the Albert Basin site be seriously considered as a priority for this funding.”
The motion wasn't discussed at that meeting but referred to the Enterprise, Regeneration and Tourism Meeting but despite there being an ERT meeting 10 May it wasn't debated until the 14 June ERT.
Missed Opportunity
Cllr Malone spoke of what he saw as a missed opportunity "This Levelling Up funding was ideal for the People’s Park as it targeted urban and city regeneration projects and we have lost a tremendous opportunity to attract much needed finance which could have complimented the other funding application recently submitted.
"The Council’s management have stated that they will target the next call for Levelling Up funding but I still believe we have missed a great opportunity."
Funding Themes
The first round of Levelling Up funding focused on three themes with all three being relevant to this area.
- Transport investments including (but not limited to) public transport, active travel, bridge repairs, bus priority lanes, local road improvements and major structural maintenance, and accessibility improvements. We are requesting proposals for high-impact small, medium and by exception larger local transport schemes to reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, cut congestion, support economic growth and improve the experience of transport users.
- Regeneration and town centre investment, building on the Towns Fund framework to upgrade eyesore buildings and dated infrastructure, acquire and regenerate brownfield sites, invest in secure community infrastructure and crime reduction, and bring public services and safe community spaces into town and city centres.
- Cultural investment maintaining, regenerating, or creatively repurposing museums, galleries, visitor attractions (and associated green spaces) and heritage assets as well as creating new community-owned spaces to support the arts and serve as cultural spaces
Timeline
- 24/2/21 - Levelling up fund announced.
- 18/6/21 - Closing date for first tranche of Levelling Up Fund applications.
- 4/5/21 - Monthly Council Meeting has Notice of Motion re Funding put forward by Cllr Gavin Malone - Not discussed but Referred to ERT Committee
- 10/5/21 - May Enterprise, Regeneration and Tourism Committee Meeting help. Cllr Malones motion not discussed but Levelling up Fund discussed in seperate item and Councillors agreed that "Council do not submit an application in the current call for 18 June 2021 Levelling Up Fund, but explore and develop initiatives that best fit the criteria utilising the Development fund that will become available early summer."
- 14/6/21 - June ERT Meeting sees funding Motion up for discussion. An amendment "That a Special Meeting of the Economic Forum be convened to which all Members of the ERT Committee be invited, to discuss the Levelling Up Funding Strategy"
- 27/10/21 - Levelling Up Fund recipient announced.
Original Motion 4/5/21
“I refer to recent announcements by the Government on its proposals to provide additional funding to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales totalling 800m.This funding is to replace lost EU funding and will target Town/ City Centre regeneration etc. I am calling on the Council to set up a committee including Councillors, Senior Management Officers, Chambers of Commerce, Newry Bid, Voluntary Sector etc to develop an innovative strategy and action plan to maximise our opportunities with this substantial pot of money. I also request that the Council’s Number 1 priority ie; ‘The People’s Park’ on the Albert Basin site be seriously considered as a priority for this funding.”
Following discussion at the June ERT meeting the motion was amended to below.
Amended Motion 14/6/21
That a Special Meeting of the Economic Forum be convened to which all Members of the ERT Committee be invited, to discuss the Levelling Up Funding Strategy, and that a comprehensive paper be circulated in advance of the meeting outlining all opportunities offered by this funding initiative, in
order that Councillors and Economic Forum members can be prepared to table suggestions, and also a timetable of future application dates for Levelling Up calls for submissions, to be tabled at the above said meeting.
During the debate on the amended motion in June, ERT Director, Conor Mallon explained it had been agreed at ERT Committee May 2021 the Council would not submit a bid in June 2021 for Levelling Up Fund but continue with work to prepare robust applications bids for future rounds of funding from the Levelling Up Fund.
It's thought the next round will be in early 2022.
