Torbay’s MP, Kevin Foster, has welcomed the announcement made by the Chancellor as part of the Budget that Torbay is one of 20 areas chosen to be part of a new Levelling Up Partnership.
Backed by £400m of investment, the Government will work in partnership with the 20 areas to secure what it describes as “bespoke place-based regeneration in each area”. The Torbay Partnership will see the Government work with local MPs, Torbay Council and other key local stakeholders to identify what is needed to deliver key regeneration outcomes. In Blackpool a similar initiative saw the local housing enforcement team given more money for taking action against landlords not meeting standards and work with the Department for Education & the Department for Work and Pensions to increase local skills.
The news of the new partnership came as the Government also confirmed a third round of the Levelling Up Fund would proceed. Torbay failed to secured funding in the first 2 rounds of bidding to the fund, with the feedback on the “Fish and Chips” Bid submitted by Torbay Council to the Second Round indicating there was: “insufficient detail provided on expenditure to give confidence in the deliverability of the project.”.
Kevin Foster MP said:
“The announcement of the new levelling up partnership is very welcome, especially the opportunity to use it to drive delivery of regeneration projects in our bay. Whilst the Conservative Government has done its bit by providing tens of millions of funding for regeneration projects in our bay, residents are not seeing the benefits of this due to delays & dither on getting them underway from Lib Dem\Independent led Torbay Council.”
“I look forward to working with colleagues in government to not only secure further funding, including from the next round of the levelling up fund, but to ensuring there is an end to the delays in getting shovels in the ground at a local level.”
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