£9.2m gone: Hucknall is losing levelling up cash pot as political blame game begins
The Government has confirmed it is officially withdrawing Hucknall’s £9.2m levelling up fund award.
And the fingers of blame are pointing in all directions with furious Hucknall councillors at Ashfield Council accusing the Labour Government of ‘letting Hucknall down’ with an ‘unforgiveable decision’.
But the town’s Labour MP Michelle Welsh said ‘false promises’ by the previous Conservative Government meant the money was never there in the first place.
She also accused the ruling Ashfield Independents at Ashfield Council of a ‘poorly-planned bid’.
Last October, Bulwell MP Alex Norris (Lab), under-secretary of state for local growth and building safety, wrote to the council to tell them that the Government was ‘minded to withdraw the funding for culture projects announced at Conservative spring budget in 2024.
This included the £9,281,283 awarded to Ashfield Council that was intended for Hucknall.
The announcement came following the new Labour Government’s autumn budget and provoked fury among many Hucknall residents and councillors, not least because the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said the funding cuts only applied to awards announced in the 2024 spring budget.
This meant that while Hucknall lost out, earlier awards made to areas like Sutton, Kirkby and the £20m awarded to Mr Norris’ own Bulwell constituency, were not affected.
Following the initial announcement, a consultation period began to see whether the Hucknall funding withdrawal would go ahead and a petition was launched to save it.
But now, the Government has confirmed Hucknall will lose its funding as, following the consultation process, the MHCLG has decided to prioritise funding for 10 projects with Hucknall not among them.
Coun Lee Waters (Ash Ind), who represents Hucknall on both Ashfield and Nottinghamshire councils, said: “We are absolutely furious by this news.
“More than £9m is a huge amount of funding for the Government to pinch from the residents of Hucknall.
“To be one of the 10 out of 21 projects slashed by Kier Starmer is disgusting and a slap in the face for our residents, who deserve better from the Government and the Labour MP who have let Hucknall down by ruining the country's finances.
“The £9m would have significantly improved the lives of those in Hucknall and to tear that away from our residents is unforgivable and will not be forgotten by local people.”
But Ms Welsh said: “Hucknall has been let down both by the previous Conservative Government’s false promises and by the Ashfield Independent administration’s poorly-planned bid.
The people of Hucknall deserve better.
"No money has been taken away – it was never there to begin with.
"What we need now is a real plan that delivers real investment, by the people, for the people.
"That’s why I’m launching the Hucknall Matters survey and a major engagement campaign to ensure funding is secured in the right way.
"I will continue fighting for Hucknall because our town deserves a future we can all be proud of."
An MHCLG spokseperson said: “This Government inherited unfunded commitments to these projects, along with many others, but by making difficult choices we have managed to re-prioritise some funding within extremely tight budgets.
“We have carefully considered the responses to our consultation and chosen projects at an advanced stage that will have the greatest impact on local people and economic growth – this Government’s number one mission.”
The spokesperson added the prioritisation was determined by considering a series of factors including significant progress of work to date, imminent delivery, and/or the wider strategic impact of withdrawing funding on local regeneration efforts, as well as potential to boost economic growth.
The aslo added that for projects that will no longer be receiving funding, officials will be in contact to discuss reimbursement for costs incurred.
They said: “We want to thank projects for their cooperation and engagement throughout the consultation process.”
Coun Waters, however, said that Hucknall councillors will now take their arguement to the new East Midlands Combined County Authority and ask the new Labour East Midlands mayor for funding for Hucknall.
He said: “We will not give up on our residents, businesses and visitors to Hucknall, and hope the Labour Government see sense and rethink their selfishness.”
Your Dispatch has contacted Mr Norris for comment.