Dundee council leader John Alexander has called on the UK Government not to “rip away” £20m of funding previously promised for the city.
In May, the previous Conservative Government at Westminster chose Dundee as the first area in Scotland to benefit from levelling up funding partnership investment.
A range of projects were earmarked to benefit from the money, including:
- £5m for Dundee and Angus College, including £4.5m to build a new campus
- £3m towards the creation of new grade A office development on the Waterfront
- £2.5m for grassroots projects focused on enhancing opportunities for young people
- £1.2m to develop a bespoke permanent home for the Dundee Museum of Transport
However, this week new Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a swathe of spending cuts aimed at plugging a £20bn black hole in the UK’s finances.
This meant the immediate suspension of some infrastructure projects, including plans to build a two-mile tunnel near to Stonehenge.
And such cuts in public spending has led to concerns that previously promised levelling up funding could also be for the chopping block.
Fears for funding under Labour government
Mr Alexander said: “It would be a complete sham if, within a few months of the city being promised funding to support employment and development, the funding was ripped away.
“The new Labour Government must, absolutely must, ensure that the city receives the funding it was promised just months ago and I’ve been making those representations prior to Monday’s financial statement in parliament.”
Levelling up was a key pledge in Boris Johnstone’s successful 2019 general election campaign.
The aim of the policy was to reduce inequality based on where people live and areas were invited to bid for investment in transport, cultural, town centre and regeneration projects.
But after their election win last month, the new Labour Government has dropped the phrase from the department’s name and ministerial titles.
Alexander ‘keen to support collaboration’
A UK Government spokesperson said further guidance will be set out regarding local government funding in due course but did not comment further.
And Mr Alexander said he will “do everything in his power” to make sure the money is delivered to Dundee.
He added: “There has been much talk about greater collaboration by the new UK Government and I’m keen to support that, as I expressed directly to ministers, but that requires trust.
“If the first thing that happens is £20 million of promised funding is removed from the city, that would erode any trust that existed.”
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