Mark Whitehead 06 January 2023

Councils spend millions on levelling up bids, new figures show

Councils spend millions on levelling up bids, new figures show image
Image: 1169882011/Shutterstock.com

Councils spend millions on levelling up bids, new figures show

Councils in England have spent at least £27 million producing bids for levelling up funding, according to new research.

But the figures obtained by UK news agency NationalWorld reveal that many bids failed to result in any government money being awarded.

The agency says local and regional leaders have hit out at the process of competitive bidding for funds, which has been used to distribute cash to councils for special projects as part of the levelling up agenda.

Some have described it as a lottery which pitches town against town and represents poor value for money.

They say many smaller councils are disadvantaged by a system which requires a large input of resources with no promise of a return from the Government.

The new figures, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act from 245 upper and lower-tier local authorities in England, show councils have spent at least £26.9 million on bids, most of it paid to external consultants. Some senior figures in local government have raised concerns about the criteria on which winning bids have been selected, while others have reported a lack of feedback on why their bids were unsuccessful prior to producing further bids.

Since 2019 the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has run several competitive bidding processes, with councils producing proposals for funding based on specific criteria to receive money from central government.

The figures show about £13 million was spent on bids funded entirely from council budgets, with the remaining bids benefitting from at least some central government funding.

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Senior User Centred Designer

Essex County Council
£60049 - £70645 per annum + Hybrid Working
Interviews will be held on 29th and 30th October 2025.*Experience the best of both worlds with our flexible hybrid working arrangements. Enjoy the fr England, Essex, Chelmsford
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Flood Risk Engineer - Epping Forest District Council

Essex County Council
£40.0000 - £45.0000 per hour
Flood Risk Engineer Epping, EssexFull-Time, Temporary 37 Hours per Week 3 Months Contract* £40-£45 per hour, Umbrella Closing Date
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Senior Product Support Analyst

Essex County Council
£33512 - £39425 per annum + Hybrid Working
*Experience the best of both worlds with our flexible hybrid working arrangements. Enjoy the freedom to work from home while still benefiting from in England, Essex, Chelmsford
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Security Architect

Essex County Council
£60049 - £70645 per annum + Hybrid Working
This is a 12 month fixed term contract or secondment opportunity.*Experience the best of both worlds with our flexible hybrid working arrangements. E England, Essex, Chelmsford
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Control Officer

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth
£37602 - £45564 plus shift and weekend allowance
Are you looking for your next opportunity to work as part of a team in a 24-hour emergency control room covering the Boroughs of Richmond and Wandsworth. To be responsible for receiving and logging calls from the public, outside agencies and partners. Use Wandsworth, London
Recuriter: London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth
Linkedin Banner