Doncaster North and Edlington miss out on levelling up funding

The government announced which areas will receive a share of phase two levelling up funding on Wednesday this week.

The funding aims to revitalise towns and cities.

In July, Doncaster Council submitted two bids; to improve the Doncaster North area and Edlington.

Edlington’s bid included plans to regenerate certain areas and invest in a crackdown on crime and antisocial behaviour.

The Doncaster North bid would have gone towards the ‘Mexborough Masterplan’ which aims to revitalise the town centre, as well as improvements to Moorends and Woodlands.

Constituency MP Ed Miliband expressed his disappointment over the decision: “I am deeply disappointed for people in Moorends, Mexborough and Woodlands that the government has rejected the excellent and well supported levelling up bid. It is very noticeable that Rishi Sunak’s constituency has been successful while ours has not.

“The need to invest in our communities is stronger than ever. The problem is that we have a government that has promised areas like ours so much and delivered so little. They have betrayed the promises they have made.

“I will keep fighting for our area. But what today demonstrates once again is that if we are to get the investment we need, we need a Labour government.”

Many pointed out that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s constituency of Richmond was awarded £19 million despite being a largely middle-class area.

Barnsley was the only area in South Yorkhire to be successful in its bid.