Levelling up: Sefton bid rejection is slap in face, council says

Bootle is considered in the lowest priority level for funding, Sefton Council's leader says

A council leader has described the latest allocation of levelling up money as "another slap in the face" after his area's bids were rejected.

Sefton Council's Ian Maher said plans to revitalise Bootle and Crosby had been ignored, showing ministers had "no interest in real levelling up".

The government said all bids had been subject to a "rigorous assessment".

St Helens, Knowsley and Ellesmere Port were among 111 areas given money from £2.1bn of Levelling Up Fund cash.

However, bids from Liverpool, Warrington, and Cheshire councils were unsuccessful.

'Beauty contest'

Mr Maher said Sefton had been assessed as the lowest level of priority despite having some of the country's highest levels of deprivation.

"By once again ignoring our bids that would have supported the revitalisation of Bootle and Crosby, the government has confirmed it has no interest in real levelling up in this country," he said.

"Sadly, this is yet another slap in the face for local people which represents neither a 'stepping up', 'gauging up' or 'enhancing communities', no matter what this government wants its MPs to call it."

A £20m bid to boost Earlestown's historic market square has been successful

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said the north was getting more per head of population and some parts of the south also needed investment.

Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said hundreds of councils spent "time and resources bidding for government funding and at the end Tory areas always win".

He labelled the process a "Conservative beauty contest", with areas "hammered by 13 years of Conservative austerity" being "forced to jump through hoops" to bid for much-needed funding.

'Spreading opportunity'

St Helens Council won £20m in a bid to boost Earlestown's historic market square and Knowsley was awarded over £15m to improve transport, sporting and leisure facilities for Halewood.

However, Knowsley's bids for Prescot were not approved and a Huyton village centre bid was rejected for the third time.

Knowsley Council leader Graham Morgan said he had "mixed emotions" as he was "delighted" Halewood had secured "significant" funding but was "baffled" as to why Huyton village had missed out again despite being a priority one area.

Liverpool Mayor Joanne Anderson tweeted that she was "incredibly disappointed" after the city missed out on funding to improve Limekiln Park and the Paddington South Innovation Zone.

Steve Rotheram compares the bidding process to a "Conservative beauty contest"

Cheshire West and Chester Council had asked for £45.8m to replace the grade ll listed single track Winnington Bridge near Northwich but that was rejected.

Weaver Vale MP Mike Amesbury said it was a "real blow" to the town and there would be "serious economic consequences" because of the current bridge's age, which could prevent lorries from using it.

Warrington also had its bid for £46m refused, which it had hoped to spend on projects including an inclusive sports centre at Victoria Park and investment in active travel routes.

A government statement said: "The Levelling Up Fund is investing in infrastructure that improves every day life across the UK, spreading opportunity to historically overlooked areas.

"All projects were subject to a rigorous assessment process under robust, fair and transparent rules, with no involvement of local MPs in the selection process."