The Government’s Levelling Up White Paper, announced today, will see a bright future for Cornwall, which is featured heavily in the flagship document.
As part of the announcement, Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove, has today written to Leader of Cornwall Council Linda Taylor, inviting her to bid for an ‘ambitious and early County Deal’ which could see more powers devolved for Cornwall locally with the aim to agree it by Autumn of this year.
Today’s announcement also sees confirmation that the Shared Prosperity Fund will be worth £2.6 billion, which exceeds the UK Government’s commitment to match EU Structural Fund receipts in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, while reducing levels of bureaucracy associated with the previous EU funds and allowing investments in local priority projects.
Today’s announcement also:
- Formalises the £200 million from British Business Bank (BBB) Regional Investment Fund announced at the Spending Review 2021 to expand its Cornwall and Isles of Scilly investment fund.
- Gives up to £7.35 million, as part of £20m UK Government and local government funding, to support launch from Spaceport Cornwall.
- Includes detail on the new Superbus network, which will reduce fares by around 30%, and see all bus operators and the main train operator GWR will be brought together by a new Transport for Cornwall brand.
- And confirms Cornwall has been identified as one of the 55 new Education Investment Areas (EIAs) to receive the most support in this decade.
Welcoming the news was St Austell and Newquay’s Member of Parliament, Steve Double, who said:
“Today’s announcement is the culmination of years of hard work from myself and my Cornish MP colleagues, as well as the new Conservative administration at Cornwall Council, to ensure Cornwall is a major part of the Government’s levelling up agenda.”
“I am delighted to see Cornwall mentioned 21 times in today’s national announcement. While as ever the devil will be in the detail, it is incredibly helpful to see the figures for the Shared Prosperity Fund will be greater than previous EU funding equivalents, as well as the commitment from the Secretary of State to enter into early negotiations with Cornwall Council for more devolved powers, something I am sure our Conservative administration will be able to deliver.”
“It is by working together as a team that we will succeed and I look forward to now doing all we can to get the most for Cornwall from today’s big announcements.”