KeyCities Logo

Cities Policy

Devolution and Levelling Up

Bradford City Council

A public meeting of Bradford City Council

Our Devolution and Levelling Up priorities

  • To work with Government to achieve equitable long-term funding for all disadvantaged areas on the basis of need
  • To work with Government to ensure that local authorities are empowered to develop and implement locally appropriate and effective strategies from growth and opportunities for all
  • To work with anchor institutions, industry, community and cultural organisations to develop effective local strategies for levelling up

Every town and city across the UK has its own challenges and priorities, and Key Cities welcomes the commitment to devolution in the Government’s Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 to allow a more tailored local response to local issues. Devolution is complex, with no one model working everywhere, and we appreciate that councils will have the choice to take such deals, rather than have them imposed.

Levelling up activity requires money, and we welcome news that the bidding process for funding will be simplified. However there are still a proliferation of different central government funds and localities must compete for these monies.  In addition many areas are finding that the money allocated from the Shared Prosperity Fund does not match previous regional funding from the EU which will slow progress. 

Portfolio Lead

More from Devolution and Levelling Up