Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Rejected
Paragraph: 48
Additional metrics for Levelling Up Fund applications undermined trust and transparency.
Conclusion
A further concern regarding the distribution of competitive funding was the additional metrics for success applied to once applications had closed in round two of the Levelling Up Fund. This was signally unhelpful for perceptions of trust and transparency and leaves the Government open to criticisms that it has not clearly explained how funding decisions have been made on the basis of need or merit.
Government Response Summary
The government denies that additional metrics were applied after applications closed in round two, stating the decision-making framework and all five wider considerations were outlined in the published Prospectus and Technical Note prior to submissions. They assert a robust and transparent process was followed.
Paragraph Reference:
48
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
We followed a robust process for the assessment, shortlisting and decision-making stages of round two of the Levelling Up Fund, all of which has been set out in our published guidance and Explanatory Note. The published Prospectus and Technical Note outlined the decision-making framework at the outset, prior to the applications being submitted. It is clear from those documents that the Government did not introduce any new criteria into decision making. In deciding which bids to fund from the shortlist, ministers had the option of taking into account some or all of five published wider considerations. This included other investment in a local area, including investment made from the first round of the Fund to encourage a spread of levelling Up funds from across places. Regarding the Committee’s recommendation around adapting and responding to the impact of inflation during the lifetime of programmes, we have provided additional funding to support local authorities with developing projects, including on the Levelling Up Fund where a £65 million local authority support package is supporting places’ capacity and capability to deliver projects.