Cllr Tony Ferrari, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, is seeking suggestions for local infrastructure projects in Weymouth and Portland which could be included as part of a bid for the Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ fund. The bid will be submitted jointly by Dorset Council and Richard Drax MP in June, with support from Weymouth and Portland Town Councils and local businesses.
Local residents are asked to submit their proposals for local projects which could be included in the funding bid, by emailing comms@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk by 7 May.
The Levelling Up fund was announced as part of the Chancellor’s budget in March this year and is a competitive fund for which areas across the UK can submit bids. Each area can submit a bid of up to £20 million in total. The fund is for projects which will provide “infrastructure that improves everyday life”.
These include:
- smaller transport projects which make a genuine difference to local areas
- town centre and high street regeneration
- support for maintaining and expanding the UK’s world-leading portfolio of cultural and heritage assets.
The Government is clear that “investment proposals should focus on supporting high priority projects that will make a visible impact in local areas”.
Dorset as a county is in the lowest priority category for Levelling Up funding, with both the Dorset Council and BCP areas being in the lowest category 3 grouping. Government has been clear in the prospectus that preference will be given to bids from higher priority areas. However, lower priority areas are still able to submit bids.
Cllr Tony Ferrari, Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Assets and Property, with special responsibility for Regeneration and Development in Weymouth, told KeeP 106:
“I believe that if the Portland and Weymouth areas were considered in isolation they would be in a higher category in the Government’s priorities and would therefore be more likely to secure funding. It is for this reason that I think we should make a bid for this area and explain the exceptional circumstances.
“We must be realistic about our chances of securing funding but, if we don’t try, we definitely won’t get anything.
“All of the suggestions will be considered and kept. We will submit those that we think have the best chance of success. The rest will be retained for possible future bidding opportunities to Government.”
