Gove announces 477 locally-led ‘levelling up’ initiatives

Skills training for the unemployed and investment in businesses developing low carbon technology are among around 500 projects set to benefit from a £200 million boost for local economies, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove has said today.

The government is backing 477 locally-led projects that it says will help breathe new life into towns, villages and coastal communities across the UK as the government delivers on its mission to level up the nation and commitment to net zero.

It is the latest significant tranche of funding for Levelling Up following last week’s Budget which saw £1.7 billion from the first round of the UK-wide Levelling Up Fund backing 105 projects, and the first 21 projects benefitting from the £150 million Community Ownership Fund.

The government said many of the projects announced today will supporting the UK’s path to net zero carbon emissions. For example, a £434,000 contribution has been awarded to support the seafood industry in Grimsby to modernise, with funding helping the sector reduce its carbon footprint by improving the energy efficiency of its cold storage and transport fleet.