Recommendation 32

The Government’s flagship Levelling Up policy is one in a long line of local growth initiatives. The National Audit Office reported that since 2010 there has been the repeated introduction of ‘new’ local growth policies. The stop-start character of local growth initiatives has arguably slowed or even in some case prevented the development and provision in local areas of infrastructure to support individuals and communities through long and sustained interventions. International comparisons have been drawn with the longevity of funding associated with Germany’s reunification project which spanned several years. This policy has been referred to by some as a model of best practice when comparing the benefits of longer-term, substantive, growth initiatives and funding. We also note that the levelling up missions, as set out in the White Paper, are intended to be achieved or to have seen some progress by 2030, which only allows for under 10 years for the policy’s aims to be achieved.