Levelling Up Sheffield: Announcement ‘just smoke and mirrors’ say local politicians

Sheffield politicians have reacted to the government’s attempt to re-announce Levelling Up funding, saying it is ‘smoke and mirrors’ and the money was ‘peanuts’.
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Last week the government said Sheffield and Wolverhampton would be the first in line to receive money from the £1.5 billion Brownfield Fund for regeneration as part of the government’s Levelling Up agenda.

The government said it was a ‘radical new regeneration programme’ designed to bring disused brownfield sites back into use to boost disadvantaged communities which have suffered from years of underinvestment.

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'Levelling Up' funding: Sheffield set for share of £1.5bn Brownfield Fund for re...
Sheffield politicians said the government's recent Levelling Up 'announcement' was just 'smoke and mirrors'Sheffield politicians said the government's recent Levelling Up 'announcement' was just 'smoke and mirrors'
Sheffield politicians said the government's recent Levelling Up 'announcement' was just 'smoke and mirrors'
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But the announcement had actually already been made by the chancellor in the last budget.

Labour accused the government of rehashing the money and pulling a stunt to detract from the partygate scandal in an effort to save Boris Johnson’s job as prime minister.

Reacting to the news, councillor Jayne Dunn, co-operative executive member for education, children and families, tweeted: “Really? Why are we not surprised? No new money, just smoke and mirrors.”

Sheffield politicians said the government's recent Levelling Up 'announcement' was just 'smoke and mirrors'Sheffield politicians said the government's recent Levelling Up 'announcement' was just 'smoke and mirrors'
Sheffield politicians said the government's recent Levelling Up 'announcement' was just 'smoke and mirrors'

Paul Blomfield, MP for Sheffield Central, said: “Any new money is welcome but this grant is peanuts compared with the estimated £900 million regeneration funds that would have come to South Yorkshire through the EU.

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"They promised we would be better off when we took back control of our money but we’re seeing the truth now. I’ve been pressing ministers to commit they would at least match the money we’ve lost and every time they’ve refused.

“Michael Gove is taking people for fools in describing this as ‘transformational’. It’s a fraction of the money they’ve taken away from South Yorkshire councils over the last twelve years.”

Louise Haigh, MP for Sheffield Heeley, highlighted problems being faced in northern transport including bus services being slashed, rail fares increasing and the cost of petrol skyrocketing.

She said: “There is no levelling up whilst public transport is being cut back and the cost of travel soars…

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“There can’t be levelling up whilst the communities that need it the most are being denied the transport investment, services and infrastructure.

“We were meant to build back better after Covid but public transport is in the worst state we’ve seen it in years.”

More detail on the plans is expected to be published this week in the Levelling Up white paper.