The Government this week announced that Knowsley Council has been awarded £15.3 million from Round 2 of the Levelling Up Fund. The money will be used to make improvements in Halewood, including expansion of the district centre, improvements to green spaces and leisure facilities as well as improving walking and cycling connectivity throughout the town.

Knowsley submitted three bids, two of which were rejected by the Department for Levelling Up. It is disappointing that the bids for Huyton (£20m) and Prescot (£8m) were turned down. This is the fifth time Huyton has been turned down for Levelling Up funding, despite it being Priority 1 for funding. Council Leader Graham Morgan is seeking urgent feedback as to why these plans couldn’t be supported and I will be interested to see the Government’s reasoning.

Liverpool City Council submitted two bids for Levelling Up funding but both were rejected. The first was for £20 million for the expansion of Greatie Market and upgrading green space at Limekiln Park, while the second was for £20 million focused on the Paddington South Innovation Zone.

Rishi Sunak’s own constituency, though, received £19 million while cities like Manchester and Hull were given nothing. More funding went to affluent councils in the South than poorer councils here in the North.

Levelling up is a lottery that benefits Tory areas more than those who need it the most.