Borough council issues statement after £20m levelling up funding bid fails

A statement issued by Erewash Borough Council has expressed extreme disappointment having been unsuccessful in a bid to secure £20m in funding from the Government's Levelling Up fund.

The authority made an application in July 2022 for three improvement schemes for Ilkeston, but said that once it has received feedback from the Government’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, there was an intent to take it on board and make a much stronger bid for future funding opportunities. 

The borough council statment said that it remains confident that other community initiatives will benefit Ilkeston and that it has recently been successful in a bid to the Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund receiving £2.8m of funding for community and business projects in Ilkeston and across the borough over the next two years. 

The £2.8m grant will fund a number of community and business support projects including: 

• Pewit Nature Reserve, Ilkeston – project will see substantial tree planting within the Manor Floods Local Nature Reserve and adjacent former Pewit Golf Course to help address the impact of climate change and enhance wildlife.
• Erewash Museum, Ilkeston – Cultural Events Programme will allow for more high-quality community events at the borough’s award-winning museum.
• Rutland Sports Park, Ilkeston – 3G Pitch project will provide a third generation artificial grass pitch at Rutland Sports Park to promote engagement in sport and youth participation.
• Bennerley Viaduct, Ilkeston – funding to establish options to improve access to Bennerley Viaduct. 

Other projects include a Visit Erewash Campaign promoting recreational use; Community Grant Scheme for local voluntary and community organisations; Community Carbon Grant to help reduce climate change emissions; Golden Hello Scheme to encourage new businesses to the area; Manufacturing Research & Development grant in support of product development within local businesses; support for existing and new businesses through the Erewash Partnership; and replacement of play equipment at West Park in Long Eaton. 

A substantial number of other local authorities have been unsuccessful in their bids for Levelling Up monies with applications outstripping available funding by some £7billion – Erewash Borough Council is committed to support our communities and will continue to make every effort to access future funding opportunities that arise to help deliver regeneration for the community.  

Councillor Carol Hart, Leader of Erewash Borough Council, said: “Although I am extremely disappointed that our Levelling Up bid for Ilkeston was unsuccessful and particularly with all the hard work undertaken by officers and members in support of the bid, the upcoming Shared Prosperity Fund projects are incredibly exciting for all areas of Erewash, with both towns and our countryside set for development. I look forward to seeing the amazing changes that are set to take place over the next two years.”