Recommendation 167

We also heard that some parish and town councils would benefit from being able to bid directly for Government funding instead of relying on the local authority to submit bids. Mr Wheelhouse told the committee that: “Recognising the professionalism, expertise and track record of town councils in regeneration and acknowledging the intimate knowledge that they hold of their communities’ needs” would be beneficial. 334 Morecambe Town Council echoed this sentiment and expressed frustration in having to rely solely on bids submitted by the city council on its behalf, which were unsuccessful. 335 Lancaster City Council in part attributed its lack of success in bidding for funding to failing to involve stakeholders such as the Town Council in the process. 336