Barnsley MP asks government to consider borough’s second bid for levelling-up funding

Speaking in the House of Commons on June 27 Stephanie Peacock, MP for Barnsley East asked the Secretary of State to consider the borough in the next tranche of funding.

“I’d like to thank the Secretary of State for visiting Barnsley to meet with the Coalfield regeneration Trust to discuss their regeneration proposals,” Ms Peacock said.

“He will have seen from his visit how, by every measure, Barnsley is deserving of levelling-up funding.

“So despite our previous two bids being rejected, I would like to ask him to consider Barnsley in his upcoming round.”

Kemi Badenoch, Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities told Ms Peacock that the allocation is a “completely transparent process”.

The first tranche of the government’s flagship levelling-up funding was announced in October 2021, during the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget and spending review.

Barnsley was the only place in South Yorkshire that was unsuccessful in its bid for the cash – Doncaster was awarded £18m, Rotherham almost £40m and Sheffield £37m.

Two bids were submitted for the borough – £19.5m for new enterprise and events spaces at Elsecar Heritage Centre, and £19.7m for new facilities for the town centre.

The deadline for the second round of funding is July 6.