West Midlands councils await fate of £240 million levelling up funding bids
Councils across the region will this month find out if their bids for millions of pounds in levelling up funding have been successful.
The Government said it will announce the results of round two of the £4.8billion Levelling Up fund by the end of the month.
The fund, round two of which was launched last year, enabled local authorities across the country to submit bids for up to £20m for each parliamentary constituency.
In the Black Country and Staffordshire, bids totalling £240m have been put forward.
Sandwell Council has bid for £80m for four projects, which they said would boost local spending, job creation and support communities.
The schemes will fund homes in Tipton, a new leisure centre in Rowley Regis, housing and a school in Smethwick and a youth centre in West Bromwich.
Walsall Council has put forward two bids that will fund new homes and highways improvements in Willenhall, and a town centre theatre project.
Two bids are also on the table in Wolverhampton, with council bosses hoping to bring in £40m for the Bilston Health and Regeneration Programme and the Springfield Innovation Hub.
Dudley has also submitted two bids. One involves town centre regeneration in Halesowen, including a new college campus, while the other centres around a masterplan for Lye.
Meanwhile Stafford Borough Council has bid for £20m for its station gateway project, and Lichfield District Council wants the same amount for a new leisure centre.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said a total of 525 bids had been received in round two of the fund.
In round one, which ran in 2021, £1.7bn was awarded to 85 applicants, including Wolverhampton Council and Cannock Chase District Council.
