No success for Swindon in levelling up bids
Swindon Borough Council had put in two bids.
Swindon has not been selected as one of the beneficiaries of the second round of the government’s Levelling Up fund.
The government announced today the more than 100 projects which will benefit from a share of £2.1bn to improve towns and cities nationwide – but Swindon Borough Council’s two bids for funds for the Health Hydro and to help bring back the Oasis centre into use were not rewarded.
Leader of the council David Renard said: “We’re naturally disappointed we were not successful in this latest round of Levelling Up funding, but we always knew the competition would be fierce.
“We’ve received over £50m in funding from the government over the last couple of years to help rejuvenate the town centre through the Future High Streets Fund and the Towns Fund, not to mention £150m to help improve our strategic road network and £3m from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund as part of the Levelling Up agenda.
“Despite this latest news, we have a really strong track record of securing money for our major projects and we are already actively looking for alternative funding streams.”
South Swindon MP Sir Robert Buckland echoed the disappointment in the latest decision: but said the government was providing plenty of support to the town: ”We have received significant Government funding here in Swindon over the past few years, vital special educational needs and disability funding for our schools, and just before Christmas, the government also awarded more than £3m in new Levelling Up funding, which will be distributed to several community groups and charities and used to support youth work in the town.
“Over £100m will be spent on town centre projects here in Swindon over the next three years, with work on Fleming Way already underway. The majority of this has been secured through successful funding bids from the Government’s Towns Fund.
“There is another round of Levelling Up Funding coming up, and we have been successful in many previous Levelling Up rounds. There is no reason why we will not be successful in future bids.
“When it comes to Government funding here in Swindon, along with Justin Tomlinson MP, I will fight hard to ensure that we continue to receive our fair share.”
But the Swindon Labour Councillors twitter account was critical: “Today Swindon has been overlooked by the Conservative government for the levelling-up fund.
“So, it’s more levelling-down for us. We have a Conservative government, two Conservative MPs and a Conservative-led council. Tell me, what’s the point of voting Conservative?”