Recommendation 13

We questioned the Department on why it changed the rules for the Levelling Up Fund between the rounds. It told us that having seen how many bids were submitted for Round 2 of the Levelling Up Fund, ministers decided that local authorities that were successful in Round 1 would not be awarded any funds in Round 2.29 This decision was made during the assessment process and was not communicated in advance.30 The Department said it understood the frustration this caused by not taking this decision ‘up front’.31 The NAO reported that this decision directly affected 55 local authorities who had received funding in Round 1 and had also bid in Round 2.32