Sefton Council has said it is "another slap in the face" after the Government turned down its Levelling Up Fund bid.
The bid focused on the regeneration of Bootle Strand and according to the council it will result in a "more diverse and better-quality town centre with new food and drink, culture, arts and entertainment space." The local authority has committed £567,000 to finalise the regeneration plan, with a reported £2.1m having already been invested in buying the land and preparatory work.
The council have confirmed that the entertainment space branded the 'Salt and Tar' is still going ahead and will be hosting comedy and music festivals later this year. Sefton Council leader Cllr Ian Maher has hit back at the Government saying that they have "no real interest" in Levelling up the country.
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Rishi Sunak's constituency in Yorkshire has been awarded £19 million by the Levelling Up Fund to regenerate the town centre of Catterick Garrison. Maher says that news is a "setback" to the ambitions of the council and that the Government "refuses to step up" and deliver what is needed for local communities.
He said: "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. Despite us pointing out that these were areas which were hardest hit by COVID-19 and where some of the country’s highest levels of deprivation are found, the Government’s so-called Department of Levelling Up insisted on assessing our bids in the lowest category.
“This has meant deprived urban areas like Bootle and Crosby’s needs have been assessed against places like the Royal Borough of Tunbridge Wells, Windsor where the Royal Family live, Cambridge and the City of London."
Some funding would have been allocated to Crosby, that would have been used to "enhance the viability and vitality of the town centre" and "support local businesses by helping to attract more residents and visitors".
Maher continued: “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. It’s a setback to our ambitious plans, but we are determined to do what this Government refuses to step up to deliver the boosts our local communities, economies and businesses deserve.
"However, if Sefton is to nonsensically remain in the lowest level of priority, we need to reflect on whether we should be continuing to invest our scarce resources in these incessant beauty contests, which this time has seen funding awarded for the Prime Minister’s own constituency and for Rutland, one of the least deprived constituencies in the country.”
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