Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Local Growth Funding Allocation

Monday 2 December 2024 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 5 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial Department is moving towards multi-year funding settlements based on need.
  • Previous Government's funding model required local authorities to bid for funds, causing inefficiency and disappointment.
  • Seaside towns require tailored funding approaches to address specific issues, according to the Minister.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Gill German Lab Clwyd North
Economy Local Government
Context

The MP is concerned with how local growth funds are allocated and the impact on communities like Rhyl and Colwyn Bay.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to allocate local growth funding according to need. Seaside towns such as Rhyl and Colwyn Bay in my constituency have much in common with our north-west neighbours. The 2019 “Future of Seaside Towns” report highlights the need to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach, while recognising common issues.

Answer from Alex Norris

We are intent on moving towards allocated, multi-year funding settlements targeted at need. What follows will be much better. That is another important argument for why we need longer-term, allocative settlements.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific details about how seaside towns will benefit from national funding streams while ensuring local delivery.

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Q2 Rachel Taylor Lab North Warwickshire and Bedworth
Local Government
Context

The MP is concerned about the wasteful nature of previous government's approach to allocating local growth funds, highlighting North Warwickshire as an example.

Question

I am very pleased to hear the Minister's reply. The last Government wasted local authorities' time and money by making them bid for handouts from central Government. In North Warwickshire, so much time was spent preparing numerous bids for the new swimming pool and leisure centre that our community desperately needed, only for vital funds to go to places without such high levels of need.

Answer from Alex Norris

My hon. Friend makes an important point about the harm done by that “beauty parade” funding model, which was inefficient and created so much disappointment.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific details on how local authorities will receive fair funding under this government.

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Q3 Gill German Lab Clwyd North
Economy Community Security Local Government
Context

The MP is concerned about the impact of one-size-fits-all approaches on seaside towns and their specific needs.

Question

Seaside towns such as Rhyl and Colwyn Bay in my constituency have much in common with our north-west neighbours. The 19 Future of Seaside Towns report highlights the need to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach, while recognising common issues. How do the Government plan to use national funding streams while ensuring local delivery to deliver long-term growth in our seaside towns?

Answer from Alex Norris

That is another important argument for why we need longer-term, allocative settlements. It is my hon. Friend, her local authority, her local residents and her community who know Rhyl. They are the experts, and they should have the flexibility to break the one-size-fits-all model to make things work for themselves.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific details on how national funding streams will be used while ensuring local delivery in seaside towns.

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Q4 Manuela Perteghella Lib Dem Stratford-on-Avon
Local Government
Context

The MP declares an interest as a Stratford-on-Avon district councillor and is concerned about the allocation of funds in two-tier local government areas.

Question

I declare an interest as a Stratford-on-Avon district councillor. Does the Minister agree that, in two-tier local government areas, district and borough councils are best placed as the most local form of government to allocate funds from the UK shared prosperity fund, given their proximity to communities and their deep understanding of local needs?

Answer from Alex Norris

The hon. Lady tempts me to discuss the shared prosperity funding, which communities will receive shortly. I have to say that my enthusiasm is for all tiers of government in local areas—whether that is metro mayors, upper-tier authorities, boroughs and districts or indeed parish and town councils—to come together in shared interest to improve their communities.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific agreement on whether district and borough councils are best placed to allocate funds from the UK shared prosperity fund.

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Q5 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
Northern Ireland
Context

The MP is concerned about the distribution of shared prosperity funding and its impact on coastal issues in Northern Ireland.

Question

I thank the Minister for his answers; it is always good to hear some positivity. We in Northern Ireland are still waiting on shared prosperity funding. There would be some benefits for my constituency; Strangford has coastal issues such as seaside improvement and coastal erosion. Has the Minister had an opportunity to talk to the relevant department in Northern Ireland to see how central Government could help us back home?

Answer from Alex Norris

I am always careful not to disappoint the hon. Gentleman, given that at the High Street Heroes awards for Retail NI last year, I awarded the winning high street to Ballymena rather than Newtownards, and I am not sure he is ever going to forgive me. I assure him that I am having conversations with ministerial counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive. We are also talking to local authorities and some of the groups that have been delivering projects, such as Go Succeed. Those conversations are ongoing as we speak, and the full answer about the allocations will be coming shortly.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific details on current conversations with relevant departments in Northern Ireland regarding shared prosperity funding.

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