Gloucestershire County Council launch £1.5m Levelling Up Fund
The Levelling Up Together scheme will support the county's ten most deprived areas
After attending the Levelling Up conference back in May, Gloucestershire County Council committed £1.5 million pounds to support the 10 most deprived areas in the county. These communities also find themselves in the bottom 10% of the most deprived in the country.
Gloucestershire County Council hope that the funding will support communities in delivering initiatives that they think will be most effective. The council say they want to see an improvement in opportunities for children and adults, as well as improved wellbeing, skills and employability.
Community groups and organisations are able to apply for a share of the fund if they reside in the following areas:
• Podsmead (Gloucester)
• Tuffley (Gloucester)
• Barton & Tredworth (Gloucester)
• Matson & Robinswood (Gloucester)
• Moreland (Gloucester)
• Kingsholm & Wotton (Gloucester)
• Westgate (Gloucester)
• St. Mark's (Cheltenham)
• St. Paul's (Cheltenham)
• Cinderford (Forest of Dean)
"Tackling health inequalities"
Gloucestershire County Council's cabinet member for levelling up, Cllr Nick Housden, says he doesn't want people "to be held back from opportunities as a result of where they live.
"Unfortunately, that is the case for some areas in our county.
"People living in these areas are full of potential, talent, and enthusiasm - they just need to be given the same opportunities as others.
“We are looking for creative ideas to boost these communities from the people who know them best.
"So, whether you need funding to upgrade a community building or support to launch a new club, please apply.”
The director of public health for Gloucestershire County Council, Siobhan Farmer, added "I am pleased to support this scheme designed to start tackling health inequalities in our county.
"We need bids to show how they will help achieve at least one of the five missions we’re focussing on from Government in its Levelling Up Paper, which are fundamentally about improving life for those living in areas across the country that have been left behind.”
Levelling Up
In 2021, the council secured £13 million from the Government's Levelling Up fund, which they say is helping to deliver significant transport improvements in the heart of the county. The council have already allocated more than £2million amongst its 53 county councillors, giving each £40,000 to spend in their area.
A further £500k has been committed through the Build Back Better - Market Towns fund with the hope of supporting the economy of the county's market towns and high streets.