Plan for regeneration funding is ‘promising’, city council leader says
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS are expected to visit Sheffield later this month after the city was named among 20 places that will receive Government funding to regenerate derelict land.
The selected areas will be prioritised within a new £1.5bn Brownfield Fund, with an initial £13m given to the South Yorkshire Combined Authority to “kickstart regeneration efforts”.
Sheffield Council leader Terry Fox said: “This is promising news for Sheffield and the South Yorkshire region, and shows that the Government has recognised our ambitions and all of the great work that is already being carried out here to make our city an even better place to call home.
“The disjointed, haphazard and disproportionate approach to funding and support for cities outside of London needs to be addressed swiftly to tackle the growing inequalities and speed up regional productivity.
“I welcome the Government’s objectives outlined in the White Paper today, but we really need to see more detail now and find out where the cash is.
“We look forward to working with Government over the coming weeks to see how the agenda can bring about true and lasting change in our city and for our people.”
But in Parliament, Sheffield Central MP Paul Blomfield questioned what has been announced saying the £13m of funding which has been confirmed follows £2.1bn of cuts to Sheffield Council’s budgets since 2010.
Following the debate, Mr Blomfield described the regeneration announcement which has been made as a “con trick”.
“The Government are taking us for fools,” he said.