What Is The Levelling Up Scheme?
The UK Government introduced the Levelling Up Fund in February 2022. The 4.8 billion pounds assigned to the Levelling Up Scheme are dedicated to regeneration projects across the UK.
The fund will invest in infrastructure that improves everyday life across the UK, including regenerating town centres and high streets, upgrading local transport, and investing in cultural and heritage assets. There are different investments for different local areas, depending on what they need.
Who Can Bid For The Levelling Up Scheme?
Unitary authorities (including metropolitan borough councils) are eligible to submit bids for the Levelling Up Scheme, including London borough councils and district councils in two-tier areas in England, along with unitary authorities in Scotland and Wales.
All areas in the UK are able to access the fund, however, there are priority levels according to the local authority:
- Category 1 includes areas such as Derby, Chesterfield, Middlesbrough and Wakefield.
- Category 2 includes areas such as South Norfolk, Shropshire and West Lancashire.
- Category 3 includes areas such as the City Of London, the City of Edinburgh and York.
Complete guidance for local areas on how to submit bids for the Levelling Up Fund can be found on the Prospectus.
As for selecting successful bids, the process scores bids based on existing criteria out of 100, each being evaluated by the department that it refers to (Transport, Culture, Media and Sports, etc). The ultimate decision on which bids to select for funding falls on the ministers.
Where Is The Levelling Up Fund Going?
The Levelling Up Fund is dedicated to high-value local infrastructure, including local transport schemes, urban regeneration projects and cultural assets.
As for the specific entities where the levelling Up Fund is going, when each round of successful bidders has been decided, a list is gathered that includes Local Authority Name/Area, Name of Grant Recipient (if not Local Authority), Bid Name and Bid Value.
This is an overall guide to the Levelling Up Fund information. Further answers to frequently asked questions regarding the Fund can be found here.
Here at Stage Systems, we continually work with Customers who are looking to improve their community spaces by adding a stage extension, increasing their staging equipment or having a brand new stage through the help of the Levelling Up Fund and other Community Grants.
There are a number of community buildings that Stage Systems work with, for example:
- Village Halls, Town Halls
- Community Centres
- Places of Worship, Methodist, C of E, Mosques, Cathedrals, Temples and many more
- School Halls
- Scout Huts
- Volunteer Centres
- Social Enterprise Schemes (Community Pubs/Buildings)
There are excellent benefits that our customers have experienced by adding portable staging to their community space, among them:
- The staging creates a multi-use space for everyone to enjoy
- The number of groups and clubs has increased (resulting in increased revenue)
- Bringing the community together and building long-lasting relationships
- It has created more opportunities for young people i.e. Drama and Music Groups
- Improved confidence by encouraging performances and presentations on stage
For more information or to discuss your grant application for portable staging, please contact us at info@stagesystems.co.uk or call us 01509 611021.
You can download our brochure here.
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Header image credit: Credit agencies by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Pix4free
