Levelling Up projects may be cancelled says incoming Stoke council leader

A week on since Labour gained majority control of Stoke-on-Trent City Council its new leader says she won't rule out scrapping the city's flagship Levelling Up projects.

Major regeneration schemes like The Goods Yard, Tunstall old Library and Baths and Etruscan Square in Hanley were all given the green light using funding from a pot of £56-million provided to Stoke-on-Trent from the government.

After last Friday's local election results, Labour were successful in becoming the largest party in local government, for the first time since 2002.

Across England they took control of 22 councils and gained over 500 councillors.

Our chief reporter Adam Smith put the question of if the former administrations Levelling Up proposals will continue under her City Council leadership.

"If we can and if we need to some may have to stall." said Jane Ashworth, Labour Group Leader in Stoke-on-Trent.

"We may have to postpone some for a while. Some may need to be cancelled, because we have a big financial problem in the city."

Jane continued: "When the Conservatives were saying that their national government's done really fantastic things by awarding £56-million to the city, we were pointing out that 750 million had been taken away over the last 10 years. The £56-million was not free money. The council tax payer has put in £21.8-million to deliver out that £56-million.

"It's like a mortgage" - says Jane Ashworth

"We're paying off that money for the next 40 years. So it's not really true to say that we've done very, very well after the levelling up fund. Now, we are not stupid, we have absolutely no intention of wasting any money. But what we have to do is sit down with the lawyers and the accountants in the Civic to find out exactly where we're at with each of the capital investment plans."

Conservative MPs say the considerations are concerning

Conservative MP for Stoke Central Jo Gideon says: "I doubt local residents would wish to see the cancellation of projects which are intended to drive economic growth and generate new jobs and further investment in our city.

"I am proud of the progress we have made so far and as the Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent Central where £46 million of the £56 million Levelling Up funding from government is being delivered. As the local Member of Parliament, I will always support investment and will continue to work with Stoke City Council to champion our area."

Jack Brereton, the Conservative MP for Stoke South told us: "I hope they will continue but I think there certainly is a risk of this, we’ve seen in the past how Labour have misled the council and some of the things we have heard from them recently is extremely concerning."

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