'Disappointment' as Erewash and High Peak set to be stripped of promised £10 million for cultural improvements

Leaders at two Labour-led Derbyshire councils are “disappointed” that previous promises of a combined £10 million for “cultural” improvements are set to be “withdrawn” by their party’s new national administration. Both Erewash Borough Council and High Peak Borough Council had been promised £5 million each by the previous Conservative Government in March for cultural projects.

It had been a surprise announcement with nothing discussed with either council prior to the announcement by former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in Parliament. However, the promised funding, which was only eligible for capital projects (such as building improvements to museums, but not staff or funding gaps) is now set to be withdrawn.

During an East Midlands Combined County Authority meeting yesterday (November 4), East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward had been in the middle of welcoming funding which was being spent across the region, noting £5 million for cultural improvements to both Erewash and the High Peak. However, she was interrupted by Cllr Anthony McKeown, High Peak Borough Council leader, who informed her: “Sorry Madam Mayor, but unfortunately whilst some areas have had some reassurance about their Levelling Up funding, both ourselves and Erewash have been advised that that particular line of funding, it was never funded in the first place so it hasn’t been funded in the current budget round.”

Ms Ward said: “Well let’s hope there is some additional funding available for those communities that haven’t received the Levelling Up Fund because that was meant to support… we will continue to support wherever we can to ensure our communities receive as much financial recognition of the challenges they face.” Following the meeting, Cllr McKeown told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Despite the uncertainty of any funding office from the Government, as a council, we still have to put the work in towards making a successful bid.

“Whilst we, along with the partners that we worked with across the High Peak to develop our investment plan, are disappointed that the funding has been withdrawn, it is even more disappointing to hear this was never a proper funding scheme in the first place. We will take our opportunity to talk to the government to see what options can be explored without this funding.

“We will continue our longstanding work with our cultural partners across the High Peak and do what we can to support them whilst looking for what help we can gain from other funding sources such as the Arts Council and National Lottery.”

A note on the previous Levelling Up Fund allocations, initially announced in March, by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities website, now says: “Given the need to make savings, the government has announced that it is minded to withdraw funding from the below Levelling Up Culture Projects and Capital Regeneration Projects announced at Spring Budget 2024, but will consult these places before making final decisions.”

A MHCLG spokesperson said: “Growth is the number one priority of this government, which is why over £3 billion of investment in local growth was confirmed for next year in the budget. This government inherited £22 billion of unfunded spending commitments, and we have therefore been forced to make the difficult decision to review these previously announced projects.”

The spokesperson said the new Labour Government had “prioritised investment which will help deliver the growth mission, and this has required difficult choices – focusing investment towards projects and programmes that most directly support our core priorities”.

Cllr James Dawson, Erewash Borough Council leader, said: “The potential loss of any funding is naturally disappointing but not unexpected in the current climate.” A council spokesperson said the authority had received a notification from the Government to say it is “minded” to withdraw the funding for what would have been a “multi-use cultural space project” in the borough.

They said there would be a six-week consultation, closing on December 13 this year before any formal decision is made, to which the council will be responding.

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