Newspaper column 27 April 2022 - More on the SPF

 

Last week there was some controversy locally around the amount of funding Cornwall received through the EU. It was incorrectly claimed that Cornwall would have received £100 million a year in EU funding had we remained part of the European Union. I want to start this week’s column by saying that this is absolutely not true.

As mentioned in last week’s column, the Government has now confirmed that Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly will receive £132 million in funding between 2022 and 2025 to replace EU Structural Funding and help level up the county via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). This is in addition to funding from sources such as Town Deals and the Levelling Up Fund which will also be more than £100million.

Local opposition leaders in Cornwall have repeatedly argued that the UKSPF leaves Cornwall with less than half of its replacement EU funding. However, research from the independent House of Commons Library - an impartial and reliable source - shows the reality that Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly received an average of just over £50 million per year between 2010 and 2018.

The House of Commons Library researchers also stated, regarding amounts that would have been received had the UK remained part of the EU: “We don’t think it’s possible to meaningfully estimate how much money the UK, or any part of it, would have received if the UK was still in the EU… This is because if the UK had not voted to leave the EU, then the EU budget for the 2021-27 framework period - and therefore the EU funding allocations within that budget - would have been made in a very different political environment…attempting to work out what the resulting budget would have looked like therefore requires so many assumptions as to make the result effectively meaningless.”

When the figure of £100 million was first mentioned a few years ago, I asked the then council administration for an explanation of where it had come from but didn’t receive one. I am still open to someone providing a breakdown of this figure.

While I have no problem with Cornwall Council bidding for £100 million a year as I believe it is wise to ask for as much as possible, I do think it is wrong how this has been twisted and portrayed by some as the Government breaking its promise. This is not based on fact, but rather assumptions, projections and some wishful thinking, and it is wrong to state that we have failed to deliver what we committed to do.

There is no question that we all want Cornwall to receive as much as possible. However, misrepresenting facts and figures to try and mislead people and play party politics does nothing to help our cause in working with the Government. In fact, Cornwall now has by far the largest amount of SPF funding per head of anywhere in England, which will be used to directly tackle issues affecting communities unlike EU funding, which was often wasted or poorly targeted.

It isn’t about how much we receive, but more importantly it is about how that money is spent and used. We are no longer bound by the red tape that restricted how we could spend EU money and the UKSPF will be managed by a local investment partnership, who, as the name suggests, will be local and so have that knowledge needed to know where this money can be best spent to improve Cornwall once and for all. This local body will be able to set the priorities of how this money will be invested. Also, importantly, this funding will not have to be ‘match funded’ as EU grants had to be. This will mean there will be much greater flexibility for us to invest it into things that will really make a difference to our local economy.

I also want to be very clear that this is just the first part of the UKSPF and the Government has said funding will ramp up in future years. I want to reassure you that there is more to come and there is more to do. But for now, we are delivering what we said we would, and we will continue to work to secure all future funding available. I am delighted to be part of a Government that is delivering for Cornwall.

If I can be of any help or assistance, my office is available for any constituents needing help, advice or guidance – tel. 01726 829379, email – office@stevedouble.org.uk

Newspaper column 20 April 2022 - Good news from the SPF!

Last week a very important announcement was made for people living in Mid-Cornwall. As promised, the Government has now revealed the details of a new Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) which will replace the EU grant funding Cornwall previously received.

Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly will receive more than £130 million over the next three years, through the fund, which is fantastic news for the Duchy.

Many people have made no secret of their scepticism when the Government said Cornwall would not lose out once Brexit was done. Yet again they have been proved wrong by this Government who have fulfilled their commitment to match previous EU funding from the European Social Fund and European Regional Development Fund. Cornwall has by far the largest amount of SPF funding per head of anywhere in England thanks to this Government.
This fund will significantly benefit those communities who truly need it. As I have always maintained, SPF will be better targeted to directly tackle issues affecting communities unlike EU funding which was often wasted or poorly targeted. Cornwall will now have much more say over how this funding is spent based on our own priorities, from supporting local businesses and employment opportunities to reviving high streets and reducing anti-social behaviour. This was not previously possible while we were restricted by the red tape of Brussels. We now have more flexibility to boost local businesses, invest in local people and level up the Duchy. I have always said that we should be measuring the output, not the input, and I am certain that we will be able to achieve more with this funding than we ever did with the EU’s rigid and bureaucratic structural funds. Crucially, this funding will be easier to administer and will be managed by people who know Cornwall best, and what it needs. These funds will help us to make the most of the new opportunities within Cornwall such as the space sector, lithium extraction and renewable energy production as well as providing the education and training local people will need to make the most of these opportunities. I now look forward to seeing real economic growth and job creation in Cornwall.

It is clear that this Government is resolved to fulfilling its commitment to at least match the average spending of EU structural funds over the previous programme. Funding for the SPF will be £2.6 billion between 2022 and 2025, with this figure reaching £1.5 billion per year by March 2025.

This is also in addition to other levelling up funding, including the £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund and £150 million Community Ownership Fund. On top of this, the Government is also making available an additional £3.7 billion to councils this year.

I am also pleased that Cornwall will benefit from the upcoming devolution deal which means we will have more autonomy from central government. This is something I have consistently asked ministers to support and proves that Cornwall continues to be at the heart of the Government’s levelling up agenda. What is clear is that this Government is committed to ensuring that no community in Cornwall is left behind. I look forward to seeing this fund develop so that Cornwall can finally take charge of its own future and realise its full potential.

As always, if I can be of any further assistance, my office is available for any constituents needing help, advice or guidance – tel. 01726 829379, email – office@stevedouble.org.uk

 

Newspaper column 13 April 2022 - Remembering Harry

I couldn’t start this week’s column without reflecting on St Austell’s D-Day veteran Harry Billinge. I was incredibly sad to hear of the passing of Harry last week. He became very well-known to me and my office and would always say, “I’m no hero, I was just one of the lucky ones.” But the truth is Harry was the absolute definition of a hero. Not only for his actions on D-Day and the service he gave to his country, but also for his tireless fundraising work to honour his fallen comrades and raising awareness.

Come rain or shine, you could find Harry sat in Fore Street, and later Par Market, always with a story to tell and a smile, fundraising for the Normandy Memorial. Harry raised thousands and thousands of pounds to help the memorial become a reality and I am so happy that he was able to visit it last year. I know how much the memorial meant to him. It was fitting to see Harry recognised for his work in his lifetime with, amongst other things, his MBE and a train named after him. He was a humble man and I know both of these meant such a lot to him.
My thoughts are with Harry’s family and all the people whose lives he touched in such a positive way. Harry was adored and loved by so many, he will be a great loss to the town and his legacy will live on.

Speaking of legacies, I am pleased to see that the Government is currently helping Cornwall Council to create one of its own. This is through the launch of a pioneering trial which means residents will pay significantly less to travel by bus from this week. It also aims to cut Cornwall’s carbon emissions.

The reduced bus fares pilot scheme is a first for a local authority and sets out to encourage more people to leave their cars at home and travel by bus. Thanks to £23.5m funding from the Government it means adult bus passengers will, on average, pay one-third less for their fares now that the new summer timetables have been introduced. It is hoped that the pilot, which will run for the next four years, will cut car emissions as road transport currently accounts for around a quarter of all of Cornwall’s carbon emissions. 

I am pleased to see the Government working with the Conservative-led Cornwall Council to ensure that public transport is an option for everyone in Cornwall and also to make a difference to the environment.

I agree with the leader of Cornwall Council, Linda Taylor, when she says: “Making our buses better value and easier to use will give our residents a much more attractive, sustainable travel option and is instrumental in our journey to helping Cornwall become carbon neutral.” 

Following a government Devolution Deal in 2016, which gave Cornwall Council greater power to work with bus operators to transform Cornwall’s public transport network, most of Cornwall’s buses are among the newest in the country, stops have been upgraded and many now feature Real Time Passenger Information displays to give passengers up to the minute information about their journeys.

It is great to see Cornwall leading the way once again and this Conservation council deserves praise for leading this initiative which I am sure will have a substantial and long-term positive impact throughout the county.

As always, if I can be of any further assistance, my office is available for any constituents needing help, advice or guidance – tel. 01726 829379, email – office@stevedouble.org.uk