Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Levelling Up Barry, Vale of Glamorgan

26 October 2022 · 1 other contributor · 3,419 words

Opened by Alun Cairns Con Vale of Glamorgan

Responding minister: Dehenna Davison

EconomyWalesLocal Government

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Alun Cairns raised concerns about levelling up barry, vale of glamorgan in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Barry has been overlooked by the Welsh Government for decades despite its economic potential and rich history.
  • Five areas in Barry were among the 10% most deprived wards in Wales in 2011.
  • The Barry Making Waves project seeks 19.9 million in levelling-up funds for a 32 million initiative to revitalise the town's waterfront.

Key requests to Government

The levelling-up fund should support the Barry Making Waves project, which aims to revitalise the town's waterfront with a marina, hot-desk workspace, parkland, and watersports facility. The scheme seeks £19.9 million in levelling-up funds for a £32 million project, aiming to boost local employment and tourism.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Alun Cairns Con Vale of Glamorgan

Barry has been overlooked by the Welsh Government for decades despite its rich history and economic potential. The town is one of the most deprived in Wales, with low productivity levels at £14,706 compared to the UK average. Five areas in Barry were among the 10% most deprived wards in Wales in 2011, highlighting persistent deprivation over decades. Additionally, due to quirks of EU regulations and devolution, Barry did not qualify as a priority area for significant infrastructure development.

Other contributors (1)
  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Congratulates Alun Cairns on his efforts and welcomes the Minister. Emphasises the need for levelling up across the whole of the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland.

Government Response

Dehenna Davison

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Pritchard. I sincerely thank my right hon. Friend the Member for Vale of Glamorgan (Alun Cairns) for raising the important issue of levelling up Barry town in his constituency. The Government's central mission is all about levelling up all parts of the UK, ensuring opportunities are spread more equally around the country and empowering local leaders to bring left-behind communities up to the level of more prosperous areas. Wales has been allocated over £750 million of levelling-up funding in the last year alone, including over £45 million from the community renewal fund benefiting 160 local community projects and £121 million across ten projects under the first round of the levelling-up fund. The community renewal fund is about supporting people and communities who need it most, creating opportunities for innovative ideas at a local level, and giving communities autonomy over local decisions to support positive changes. I am pleased that all 10 local authorities in south-east Wales have submitted a joint regional investment plan backed with over £278 million of funding under the UK shared prosperity fund, which allocates a sizeable £585 million to places in Wales. The freeports programme is another core part of the Government's levelling-up agenda taking place in Wales, unlocking much-needed investment through incentives for port communities. Freeport delivery in Wales is being jointly delivered with the Welsh Government and backed by an initial £26 million of funding, driving forward ambition for Wales to compete at a global level while creating new local jobs. The second round of the levelling-up fund opened for bidding earlier this summer, and successful bids should expect notification by the end of the year.

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