Hartlepool council chiefs 'hugely disappointed' as £20m Levelling Up funding bid rejected

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The leader of Hartlepool council says he is ‘hugely disappointed’ after the town missed out on a £20million bid from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.

Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, Councillor Shane Moore, says more well off places have been given funding over Hartlepool and he will write to the Government for an explanation.

Hartlepool’s Labour Group of councillors has also written to the Secretary of State for levelling up Michael Gove demanding the chance to resubmit the bid.

The money would have been spent on three projects as part of ongoing regeneration plans.

Hartlepool council leader Shane Moore on the Highlight site at Hartlepool marina which would have benefited from the Levelling Up funding.

Cllr Moore said: “The Government has pledged to address inequality and 'level up', so I’m hugely disappointed much more affluent areas like Yarm and Eaglescliffe have been awarded funding.

“It’s also worth highlighting that we were encouraged to apply at this stage and not wait for the second round of applications as was our original intention.

“One of the central themes of the Levelling Up Fund criteria was around town centre regeneration and our bid was closely aligned to this.

“I will now be writing to Government to understand why Hartlepool – a Borough with high deprivation levels – has been overlooked for Levelling Up funding and why other areas have been deemed more deserving.”

The funding wold have helped towards expansion of the National Museum of the Royal Navy Hartlepool. Picture by FRANK REID

The council submitted the £20m Levelling Up Fund bid in June.

If successful, it would have gone towards:

:: Enhanced carbon-saving measures to make Hartlepool’s new leisure centre Highlight more energy efficient and sustainable,

:: Refurbishment and expansion of the National Museum of the Royal Navy Hartlepool,

:: A new cycling and pedestrian bridge to better link Hartlepool Waterfront, the town centre and the railway station.

Cllr Moore added: “We will refine our bid once we have received Government feedback and resubmit in spring 2022.”

The Labour group says it will work with council colleagues from all parties to fight for the funding.

Group leader Cllr Brenda Harrison said: “United our Council can secure this money.”

Deputy Leader Cllr Jonathan Brash added: "It cannot be right that affluent areas get millions and Hartlepool misses out, so we will do whatever it takes to get this investment for our town.”

It was intended the levelling up funding would have added to £25million awarded to the Hartlepool Town Deal Board to rejuvenate parts of the town centre.

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