Former mining town could be candidate for Levelling Up funding after bids for 'LichVegas' fail, Michael Gove says
A former mining town could be a prime candidate for funding after recent bids for Government cash were rejected for "LichVegas", it has been suggested.
Michael Gove said Burntwood seemed to be "one of the communities" likely to receive Levelling Up funding after it was raised by Michael Fabricant MP.
And Mr Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, said two bids for leisure centres in Lichfield – described as "LichVegas" – may have been considered "de trop".
The council put forward a £15.7 million bid to help fund a new leisure centre, plans it is continuing to press forward with after being rejected by Ministers.
Mr Gove, responding to a question from Lichfield MP Mr Fabricant asking if a bid for Burntwood may be more successful, said: "My Honourable Friend is a brilliant advocate for Lichfield.
"It may well be that his impassioned advocacy for the community that he has come to call "LichVegas", may have meant that bids for the leisure centre might have been seen as de trop! But Burntwood certainly seems to be one of the communities that would be a prime candidate."
Mr Fabricant said he had explained to Lichfield District Council the bid was "always going to be a 'long shot'" but it was agreed it was worth applying, citing there was no error with the bid itself – just Lichfield did not meet the criteria.
He said: "The bid was flawed: not by any error contained in the bid, but because it was impossible to prove levelling up funding need especially compared to the needs of poorer applicants in England and Wales. Moreover, it was made clear in Government documentation that levelling up funding is primarily aimed at three categories of area: post-industrial towns, failing seaside resorts, and ex mining communities. The City of Lichfield is none of these.
"But Burntwood is an ex mining community and I urge the Council to think of a major and imaginative project there which would meet the needs of the local community. As Michael Gove said: ‘Burntwood certainly seems to be one of the communities that would be a prime candidate’ for levelling up funding. And I agree.”
