Lanarkshire MP criticises distribution of levelling up funds

A Lanarkshire MP has criticised the government’s distribution of levelling-up funding, saying communities in her constituency are being “let down”.

Anum Qaisar highlighted that North Lanarkshire has received support for only one application, totalling £9.2 million, from the two rounds of funding issued so far.

The Airdrie & Shotts representative, who is the SNP’s levelling-up spokesperson at Westminster, hit out at the distribution of funds and said the policy is “failing”.

North Lanarkshire’s successful application was for the demolition and redevelopment of Cumbernauld town centre, with the funds being awarded in the second round earlier this year – but a further three applications for Airdrie, Coatbridge and Motherwell were rejected.

The latter application had been for £19m towards development at Ravenscraig, developing a seven-hectare site with mixed-use town centre plots, transport routes and other infrastructure.

South Lanarkshire has not received any funding through the two rounds of levelling up to date.

Ms Qaisar says the £9.2m received by North Lanarkshire is “the least of all historic coal mining communities included within the sample” and told Lanarkshire Live: “[This] relatively little financial support shows that levelling up policy is letting Airdrie & Shotts down.

“Westminster is showing a disregard for our community, just as it did in the 1980s when a similarly cruel Tory government decimated our historic industries.

“The UK government must give Scotland the powers to help support the development of our local communities, otherwise I fear that history may continue to repeat itself.”

Coatbridge is to receive £20m over the next decade in a separate regeneration fund for 55 “overlooked towns” announced by prime minister Rishi Sunak on the eve of the Conservative party conference.

While the funding has been welcomed by politicians of all parties, local MP Steven Bonnar called it “not before time” after noting that the town had “lost out to Tory constituencies in the first two rounds of levelling-up funding” and said of the announcement: “The Tories must think the people of this town button up the back.”

Neighbouring parliamentarian Neil Gray felt his constituency was “unfairly treated”, saying: “While I welcome the money going to Coatbridge and do not for a second feel that is unfair, I really need to question the levelling up needs index supposedly used – I believe there is just as much need for the regeneration of Airdrie and Shotts town centres.”

Scottish Conservatives deputy leader Meghan Gallacher called the funding “a massive boost for Coatbridge” and “further evidence of the UK government’s commitment to levelling up all parts of the country and entrusting local people to make the right decisions for the places they live in”.

Ms Qaisar says the grant for Coatbridge “will have limited benefit given that inflation currently sits at 6.7 per cent as a result of Westminster’s economic mismanagement”.

She was speaking following a visit during Challenge Poverty week to Shotts charity Getting Better Together, which runs community initiatives including youth groups, cycle schemes, wellbeing classes and even a radio station; the MP praised the “fantastic” team and said: “Their resilience and commitment to the local community is clear, but they cannot be expected to carry this burden alone.”

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