New government levelling up projects are being funded partly by diverting money originally earmarked for the Towns Fund, it has emerged.
A Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government source confirmed that around half of the government s new Levelling Up Fund next year will come from reshuffling former Towns Fund money. It has also emerged that £175m of new funding for freeports will include money previously earmarked for the Towns Fund.
Two years on from when the Towns Fund first launched - offering cash to kickstart capital projects in 101 towns - it has been hampered by delays, with resources diverted to deal with the pandemic. Only seven areas have so far had their final funding amounts confirmed, in deals worth £178m.