Competitive bidding has led to a £0.5bn gap in levelling up cash between the best and least funded combined authorities, according to new analysis.
The report published today by the Centre for Inequality and Levelling Up (CELUP) at the University of West London is thought to be the first to analyse the range of funds the Government has associated with its flagship levelling up policy and identify the areas that have benefited the most and least.
It found more than £13bn of funding has been provided for levelling up since 2019 from 12 different funding streams.
England’s 13 Mayoral combined authorities have received £2.76bn, which is a fifth of all levelling up funding.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority received the most funding overall (£586m) and the most funding per head while the West of England Combined Authority fared least well at £48m. County councils received £470m - just 17% of the amount given to combined authorities – with nine receiving less than £10 per head. At regional level, London received the least funding per head (£59.73).
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