Ministers have just disbursed some £2bn in the latest tranche of funding for levelling-up projects, as part of the overall £4.8bn programme. Rishi Sunak has promised that the spending will be “transformative”. The details of the announcement have been met with mixed reviews.

Sean O’Grady www.independent.co.uk 

Who is going to get the money?

A variety of schemes, including a northern Eden Project in Morecambe worth £50m, a new primates and conservation research centre at Twycross Zoo worth £19m, and converting the Old Town Hall in Whithorn, Galloway into a social enterprise training centre for £300,000. The money is scattered far and wide.

Is it fair?

Critics say the bulk of the spending is going to London and the South East. Ministers argue that, adjusted for population, the areas that do best are the North West, the North East, and Wales. Plus there are undoubtedly pockets of poverty in the South – some of the most deprived boroughs in the country are in London.

Is it ‘pork barrel’ politics – bribes to vote Tory?

Ever since Boris Johnson championed the policy, it has had a whiff of pork about it. The fact that some £19m is being spent on improving a high street in the prime minister’s own constituency has raised some eyebrows. There is even a grant of £230,000 to help keep a pub alive in the same North Yorkshire constituency. Indeed, the plight of The Countryman’s Inn in Hunton is a case in point. The village community group has purchased its local pub using cash from the community ownership fund. It will now be able to offer hearty meals and tasty ales to the people of Wensleydale and beyond, and not all of them are by any means rich. However, there are very many pubs throughout the country threatened with closure, and they are not going to receive a penny.

It highlights the seemingly arbitrary distribution of the “goodies”. Why, let us ask, should £5.1m be given to build new women’s changing rooms in 20 rugby clubs across Northern Ireland – a great idea – but nothing to improve the equivalent facilities in England, Wales or Scotland?

One might also ask why a solidly Labour city such as Leicester, with no chance of a Tory getting a seat, is doing relatively well out of the exercise, whereas Liverpool and Bradford – equally hostile to the Conservatives – have missed out again. There may be some political bias in the allocations, but it isn’t consistent.

What about the red wall?

It seems that Tory MPs and others in the Labour heartlands who turned to Johnson in 2019 are chastened and reportedly angry at missing out. “There are some really wealthy areas on the list,” said one. “It looks awful.” It cannot be entirely an exercise in party political favouritism if elected Tory politicians in marginal seats are complaining, but perhaps they are just hoping for more. None is more outspoken than Andy Street, the Conservative mayor of the West Midlands region: “Fundamentally, this episode is just another example as to why Whitehall’s bidding and begging-bowl culture is broken, and the sooner we can decentralise and move to proper fiscal devolution the better.”

Who are the losers?

It is a rule of political life that for every beneficiary of some official scheme – tax credits, a new university, an upgraded rail line – there will be many others who thereby feel hard done by. If residents in Morecambe and Cleethorpes are delighted at the largesse displayed by Michael Gove, it’s equally likely that folk in Blackpool and Skegness will feel slighted.

What does the opposition say?

Nationalists in Scotland and Wales, as well as Labour and Tory regional mayors such as Mr Street, resent the way in which ministers and civil servants in London make the final call as to who gets the cash. For the SNP, it is another betrayal of devolution. Welsh politicians resent part of their allocation being spent on HS2, which doesn’t go to Wales. Labour’s Lisa Nandy has been scathing about the competitive, demeaning nature of the bidding process: “It is time to end this Hunger Games-style contest, where communities are pitted against one another and Whitehall ministers pick winners and losers.”

Will levelling up even work?

As a modern iteration of what was once known as “regional policy”, perhaps not. Mr Sunak insists that the projects being funded will attract private-sector investment, but that is not guaranteed, and the money might not yield much except for a little civic pride. Regenerating one seaside town might simply attract visitors away from another, and much of the money is merely reallocated from other budgets, such as for transport or grants to devolved administrations. That might be said of the £3.3m being spent on electric-vehicle charging points in Northern Ireland.

Even the total sum, £4.8bn, is tiny in relation to Britain’s £2,500bn GDP, and is far less than the 30 per cent overall reduction in central government’s support to local authorities since 2010, which was driven by austerity. Politically and economically, at a time of severe pressure on the public finances, levelling up feels tokenistic and random.

Politically, few of these laudable projects will be completed by the general election, by which time voters may anyway have concluded that repaved town centres aren’t much use if they haven’t the cash to spend in them.

A more rational approach might have been to recognise that some poor people live in richer areas, such as Kensington and Chelsea, while some rich people live in poorer places, such as Newcastle, and to focus the process on demographics rather than geography. But perhaps that would be too socialistic for this government.

How long have we been waiting for “promised” funding for essential infrastructure needed as a result of “Build, build, build” development running ahead of local capacity to absorb it? 

Is this really a cash pot from a bountiful government? How much cash has been taken away from local government by Conservatives since Austerity 1.0?

How much time and effort was required to make what should be a blindingly obvious case in the “begging bowl” centralised Whitehall culture?

This is essential spending not investment in growing the economy.

What about real “levelling up” cases such as the Axminster master plan?

Does this reflect that Simon Jupp’s seat is now considered to be on the “vulnerable” list? – Owl

Guy Henderson www.devonlive.com

Plans for new developments which would have brought hundreds of jobs to Torbay were in ruins today as the Government turned down the bay’s application for cash. Elsewhere there were celebrations around the country as places such as Exmouth picked up much-needed investment from the Government’s “Levelling Up” funds.

But Torbay’s innovative so-called “Fish and Chips” bid for fish market expansion in Brixham and a microchip technology park in Paignton was rejected for the second time. Now the bay’s MPs are to meet to discuss the way forward.

In Exmouth the money will go towards a major road extension and developments around the town’s railway station. East Devon MP Simon Jupp said: “This is excellent news and I am looking forward to seeing spades in the ground.”

In Torbay the money would have been spent on badly-needed improvements to Brixham’s busy fish market and on a photonics site at Long Road in Paignton.

It was the bay’s second go at securing funds from the Levelling Up pot, having missed the boat in the first round as well. The revised bid which has been turned down today was for an expansion of Brixham Harbour and a base for electronics and photonics businesses at Paignton.

Torbay Council had said that if the bad had succeeded, the proposed expansion of the commercial port at Brixham could see an annual £5m growth in the value of fish and shellfish landed and support 150 new jobs. The port has recently reported record figures, and is already the busiest in England.

However, fishing industry leaders have warned that the future prosperity of the market and the port as a whole depends on expanding the quayside area. If successful, the bid would have brought an extended fish market and more quay space for distribution vehicles. The council would have benefitted from increased fish toll income.

An electronics and photonics production park at Long Road in Paignton was also part of the bid, with more well-paid jobs generated in a sector in which Torbay is already a leader. But today a letter from Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison explained that the application had not met the criteria outlined for the Levelling Up Fund.

The Minister went on: “I appreciate how disappointing this news will be. The UK Government remains firmly committed to levelling up all parts of the UK and officials will provide written feedback on your application to support future proposals.”

Torbay MP Kevin Foster said: “I am disappointed to hear the bid submitted by Torbay Council for levelling up funding has not succeeded, especially given the potential boost for our fishing and photonics sector it would have brought. Anthony Mangnall MP and I will be meeting to identify what we can do as local MPs to ensure the necessary work is done locally to ensure a future bid succeeds.

“We will shortly meet with Government Ministers to identify if there were specific areas of concern which need to be addressed and what, if any, impact delays in Torbay Council getting work under way on other schemes where significant government funding has been made available had on this decision.”

After years of campaigning by East Devon MP Simon Jupp, Exmouth will receive £15.7m from the Levelling Up Fund. The multi-million-pound funding will deliver the Dinan Way road extension to improve journeys and cut congestion. Dinan Way currently forms a partial ring road around Exmouth but lacks a final connection to the A376, with traffic using unsuitable residential roads to get through to the main road to Exeter and the M5.

The funding will also deliver regeneration around the railway station, including improvements to pedestrian access to the town centre and the infilling of an underpass.

Mr Jupp said: “This investment will improve journeys in Exmouth, improve air quality, and help spruce up the area around the train station. I would like to thank the councils who worked together to develop the plans and the Conservative Government who backed our bid.”

And Cllr Andrea Davis, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, added: “This is brilliant news for the people of Exmouth and a boost to the town’s regeneration. It will not only enable Devon County Council to complete the Dinan Way link road which will reduce traffic going through the centre, but also fund improved walking and cycling routes, and bus services to Exeter.

“A big thank you goes to Simon Jupp, who has worked tirelessly to support this project. I want also to thank the team at Devon County Council who put such a compelling bid together.”

Austerity again compounding the problem – twelve, coming up thirteen, years of Tory misrule – Owl

The police department that returned a shotgun licence to a man who carried out a mass shooting did not have enough staff, an inquest has heard.

www.bbc.co.uk

Jake Davison had his licence revoked in 2020 but police returned it in 2021.

Davison, 22, killed his mother Maxine, 51, and then shot dead four others in Plymouth.

Three-year-old Sophie Martyn, her father, Lee, 43, Stephen Washington, 59, and Kate Shepherd, 66, all died on the evening of 12 August 2021.

Thursday was the third day of inquests being held into their deaths.

A senior police officer told the hearing there had been a backlog of licence applications when Davison first applied in 2017.

Ch Supt Roy Linden, from Devon and Cornwall Police, was questioned about the number of applications for firearms or shotgun licences.

He said in 2017 there were about 3,000 applications per year and the force had the highest number of holders of certificates for firearms or shotguns in the UK.

The counsel to the inquest, Bridget Dolan KC, who is asking questions on behalf of the coroner, said: “Were there sufficient staff to deal with 3,000 applications?”

Ch Supt Linden replied: “The simple answer is no.”

He said there was a backlog of applications within Devon and Cornwall Police, but the force was not unique in the country.

Ch Supt Linden added the problem had only got worse over time.

He told the inquest: “It’s still the condition today, I think they have probably increased.”

Before he gave evidence Ch Supt Linden addressed the families of the victims.

He said the force “recognises the trauma that has been caused by this incident”.

He added: “It’s our intention that this tragic incident will serve to drive improvements in firearms licensing both in Devon and Cornwall and nationally.”

The inquest hearing at Exeter Racecourse continues.

Sir Keir Starmer has urged Rishi Sunak to apologise for the “lethal chaos” in the NHS under his watch. It comes as he highlighted the case of a 26-year-old woman with cancer who collapsed at home in Plymouth and died while waiting for an ambulance.

Richard Wheeler, Martina Bet and Elizabeth Arnold, PA Political Staff www.devonlive.com

The Labour leader called on the Prime Minister to admit the NHS in England is “in crisis” before accusing Mr Sunak of deflecting and blaming others for ambulance delays experienced by patients. The call came during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister did not offer an apology in response to Sir Keir’s demand but pressed Labour to support anti-strike legislation. Opening Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir gave a hypothetical example of a person suffering chest pains and waiting for an ambulance.

Mr Sunak responded by defending Government steps to improve waiting times and claimed Sir Keir is “in the pockets of his union paymasters” rather than prioritising patients. But the Commons then fell silent as Sir Keir raised the case of Stephanie.

He explained: “Her mum rang 999, desperate for help. She only lived a couple of miles from the hospital, but they couldn’t prioritise her. She was 26 when she died waiting for that ambulance.

“A young woman whose life was ended far too soon. As a dad, I can’t even fathom that pain. So on behalf of Stephanie and her family, will he stop the excuses, stop shifting the blame, stop the political games and simply tell us when will he sort out these delays and get back to the 18-minute wait?”

Mr Sunak replied: “Of course Stephanie’s case is a tragedy. Of course people are working as hard as they can to make sure people get the care they need. But he talks about political games – he is a living example of playing political games when it comes to people’s healthcare.

“I’ve already mentioned what’s been going on in Wales. Is he confident in the Labour-run Wales NHS that nobody is suffering right now? Of course they are because the NHS everywhere is under pressure. What we should be doing is supporting those doctors and nurses to make the changes that we are doing to bring the care to those people.

“But I’ll ask him this: if he is so concerned about making sure that the Stephanies of the future get the care they need, why is he denying those families the guarantee of emergency life-saving care?”

Sir Keir countered: “So that’s his answer to Stephanie’s family? Deflect, blame others, never take responsibility. Just like last week, he won’t say when he’s going to deliver the basic minimum service levels people need.

“Over the 40 minutes or so that these sessions tend to last, 700 people will call an ambulance. Two will be reporting a heart attack. Four will be reporting a stroke. But instead of the rapid help they need, many will wait and wait and wait. So if he won’t answer any questions, will he at least apologise for the lethal chaos under his watch?”

Mr Sunak faced shouts of “apologise” from Labour MPs, replying: “He asked about the minimum safety levels, we will deliver them as soon as we can pass them. Why won’t he vote for them first of all?”

The Prime Minister added Sir Keir will “just say anything if the politics suits him”, claiming the Labour leader will “break promises left, right and centre”. Mr Sunak, who in November carried out an “across-the-board” review of pledges he made during the Tory leadership battle, added: “If we are going to deliver for the British people, people need to have strong convictions “But when it comes to (Sir Keir) he isn’t just for the free movement of people, he has also got the free movement of principles.”

Still no date for Tiverton and Tipton

A Devon MP [Richard Foord] has urged the government to get on with rebuilding two flood-risk schools after bad weather in recent days.

Ollie Heptinsall, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk

Heavy rainfall saw several Devon schools hit by flooding. Both Tiverton High and Tipton St John schools, which before Christmsa were added to the government’s school rebuilding programme, are on flood plains.

Flooding at Tiverton High last week reportedly closed off its rear entrance and 50 per cent of a playground, while Tipton St John Primary has also been hit by flooding in recent years.

It has led Tiverton & Honiton’s MP to ask when the proposed new schools will be built. It has yet to be confirmed when rebuilding work will begin, with 239 schools recently added to the list of 400 now provisionally chosen across the country.

Richard Foord MP (Liberal Democrat), who triumphed in a by-election last year in which the poor state of Tiverton High was one of the main talking points, said: “Tiverton High and Tipton St John Primary are recognised as being unfit because they are built on flood plains at increased risk from heavy rainfall.

“The government has provisionally placed both schools on the list of 239 schools to be rebuilt over the next five years but has not confirmed when this vital work will commence.

“This is simply not good enough,” he said. “We’ve already waited years to see progress on rebuilding Tiverton High School; we cannot afford to wait another decade whilst our children’s education is continually disrupted by flooding.

“That is why I am calling for the Department for Education (DfE) to stop stalling and get to work on breaking ground so we can get the new, safer and modern school buildings that our communities deserve.”

In response, the DfE says schools provisionally selected for the rebuilding programme will be prioritised according to the condition of their buildings and other relevant criteria. Works will only then be scheduled once due diligence checks are completed.

They added work will start at a rate of roughly 50 schools per year over the next five years, with work on the first schools expected to start this April.

The DfE says it will be in touch with schools this month to explain the next steps.