Labour councillors across Bolsover District have reacted angrily and with dismay to the latest announcement on ‘Levelling Up’ funding.
The Labour controlled Bolsover District Council had submitted a £14.2million bid to Round II of the governments ‘Levelling Up’ fund in August 2022 to help regenerate Bolsover town, only to be told in January 2023 it had been unsuccessful, with no explanation as to why!
Council Leader Steve Fritchley said, “Four-years ago we had the Prime Minister standing there telling us that the ‘former red wall’ constituencies would receive their fair share of funding and he was committed to levelling up the country. Well, we are four-years down the line and what have we received – absolutely nothing.
“All we are getting is empty promises. You simply cannot trust a word that comes out of their mouths.”
Out of the 11 areas in the East Midlands that received Levelling Up funding all 11 have conservative MPs (Labour has one due to the fact Derby has two MPs representing it).
The bid would have seen significant regeneration of the town centre take place including regenerating vacant town centre properties such as the old co-op and Oxcroft House buildings as well as creating a cultural hub that would have included a cinema, theatre and live performance space.
Businesses would have been supported through assistance for businesses to improve their shop fronts.
Labour councillor Liz Smyth said, “I am bitterly disappointed. These bids are nothing short of beauty pageants and tick box exercises, they are not based upon the needs of local communities and where money actually needs to be invested.
“The money would have made significant improvements to and transformed the town, helping us achieve our ambitions for the benefit of our residents. But what we are left with is a lot of time, effort and resources being wasted and a rejection letter with no explanation as to why. It’s disgraceful.”
The 5G network would have been improved, together with the installation of fibre that would have provided real time bus information and digital information totems in key locations. Public realm improvements (pavements, signage, street furniture, etc), would have also been made to help the town attract and encourage residents and visitors to spend more time in the town.
Steve added, “I was asked last week by a Bolsover resident if we were in with a chance of success and I told them ‘not to hold their breath’. What hurts most is the fact that a town which has so much to offer but needs that injection of cash, is not getting the support it deserves from a government that promised so much, but has delivered absolutely nothing for us.
“But, we won’t sit here feeling sorry for ourselves as we will continue the work that we have been doing for the past four-years. We will continue to look at what options are available to us to help us achieve the ambitions we have to help regenerate and revitalise, not only Bolsover town, but all the other towns and villages across our District.”
Labour locally is delivering. Labour in government will also deliver.