Levelling Up: This is how report aimed at ending 'historic injustice' could help Sheffield

Levelling Up secretary Michael Gove has published a White Paper that is very long on ambition - but short on cash, according to Sheffield MPs.

They also insist it does not make up for hundreds of millions lost through cuts to core funding due to austerity, or decades of an ever widening north-south divide.

WHAT IS IN THE LEVELLING UP WHITE PAPER?

The long awaited report has 12 big ‘missions’, to be achieved by 2030 and enshrined in law.

It is very wide-ranging and includes improving pay, skills, town centres and public transport and reducing illteracy and crime.

Perhaps most importantly for Sheffield, there is a big focus on regenerating brownfield sites.

IS THERE ANY NEW MONEY FOR SHEFFIELD?

But strip everything away and the new money for the city is £13m to transform derelict land for housing.

It is not much given the scale of the task the government has set itself.

The White Paper also pulls together a raft of previously-announced projects and pots, which are relevant, but take some sheen off any excitement.

Ministers say they have given millions to Sheffield and South Yorkshire through the Levelling Up Fund, a Towns Deal for Stocksbridge, Future High Streets Fund, Brownfield Housing Fund, Getting Building Fund and Local Growth Fund, with money from the controversial Shared Prosperity Fund on the way.

The Government also claims to have increased Sheffield City Council’s funding by ‘up to’ seven per cent giving it a ‘total core spending power’ of ‘up to’ £514.5m.

Two uses of the words ‘up to’ and one hard to understand phrase in a single sentence will make some people’s hackles rise.

WHAT ABOUT HOMES ENGLAND?

Meanwhile, government funding body Homes England will partner with local leaders to regenerate and deliver new housing, health and leisure facilities, roads and railways, the report says.

The head of Homes England, Peter Freeman, visited Sheffield over two days last summer, hosted by MP Clive Betts.

It would be amazing if Sheffield’s many brownfield sites were cleaned up and turned into much-needed housing estages.

But there is so much else to do and money is tighter than ever. Despite today’s announcement, equality still seems like an uphill climb.

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