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# Devolving Levelling Up funding decisions to local decision makers is not the answer, Lichfield MP says
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/devolving-levelling-up-funding-decisions-to-local-decision-makers-is-not-the-answer-lichfield-mp-says/
- Published: 2023-01-26T08:02:00.000Z
- Updated: 2023-01-25T10:09:13.000Z
- Description: Devolving the allocation of Levelling Up funding to local decision makers is not the answer, Lichfield’s MP has said.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Politics, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 19:07, News

Devolving the allocation of Levelling Up funding to local decision makers is not the answer, Lichfield’s MP has said.

Michael Fabricant made his comments after the city missed out on money for a new leisure centre from the Government scheme for the second time.

The news saw Cllr Doug Pullen, leader of Lichfield District Council, [back calls for change](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/council-leader-denies-mps-claim-flaws-led-to-failure-of-lichfield-bid-for-leisure-centre-funding/) by the West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street, who said decisions on where cash would be best spent should not be being made in Whitehall.

But Mr Fabricant said:

> “While I can understand the frustration of Andy Street and councils who lost out in the second round of the Levelling Up awards, simply devolving it – as Andy has suggested – is not the answer.  
>  
> “The total value of the most recent Levelling Up fund – £2.1billion – would spread very thinly across all the authorities in the United Kingdom if it were to be devolved in that way.  
>  
> “It would not make the big differences that Levelling Up awards are meant to make.  
>  
> “With just over 100 projects chosen in the current round with an aim ‘to create jobs and boost economic growth’, there were always going to be winners and losers.   
>  
> “The winning big-spending projects included £672million to develop better transport links, £821million to kickstart community regeneration, and £594million to restore local heritage sites.”  
>  
> Michael Fabricant

## “Begging bowl culture”

The Conservative West Midlands Mayor criticised how decisions had been made, adding that the current mechanism was flawed.

> “Fundamentally this episode is just another example as to why Whitehall’s bidding and begging bowl culture is broken, and the sooner we can decentralise and move to proper fiscal devolution the better.  
>  
> “The centralised system of London civil servants making local decisions is flawed, and I cannot understand why the levelling up funding money was not devolved for local decision makers to decide on what’s best for their areas.”  
>  
> Andy Street, West Midlands Mayor

But Mr Fabricant said that the differences in local governance across the country would also create issues if the money was devolved.

> “While I understand what Andy Street is suggesting makes sense for his area, Staffordshire and other shire counties are not part of any metro mayoral region – indeed, most parts of the UK are not part of any Metro Mayoral region. So who should make the decision as to where money should be spent?  
>  
> “Like monies allocated by the National Lottery, whether it be for the arts or sports funding, some national body is needed to decide where to target funding to make the biggest impact anywhere in the UK.   
>  
> “While I can readily accept that the present process is not perfect – which process ever is? – it was thought at the time that money to be allocated to local authorities, should be decided by officials in central government used to dealing with local government. Was that wrong?  
>  
> “If it is, and Andy Street or my own councillors and constituents can suggest a better way to distribute these funds to local authorities and to metro mayors, let me know.  
>  
> “A dispassionate view will have to be taken by any organisation as to which projects should win and which ones should lose out. I would be happy to pass on any practical ideas to my colleagues in Government.”  
>  
> Michael Fabricant