Roundabouts, pools and pier repairs: Norfolk's 8 levelling up projects

But critics have long questioned what the term actually means.

The government says it is a broad strategy covering many policies, which aim to give people and communities that feel they have been left behind a chance to catch up.

As part of this, it is offering local councils the opportunity to bid for millions of pounds from its Levelling Up Fund, to support local schemes such as new leisure centres, galleries and town centre makeovers, to improve their areas.

The process is complicated though.

The standard maximum amount to bid for is £20m, and councils can submit a bid for each parliamentary constituency in their district.

For instance, Breckland is entitled to make two bids, one for the South West Norfolk constituency and one for Mid Norfolk.

King's Street in Thetford. Picture: Sonya Duncan (Image: ARCHANT EASTERN DAILY PRESS (01603) 772434)

A bid has a better chance of being awarded funding if the local MP has given their support to the project, but each MP can only give their ‘priority’ support to one bid in their constituency.

So George Freeman, for instance, would only be allowed to support one bid, even if both Breckland and South Norfolk councils submitted applications in his Mid Norfolk constituency.

And each council area has been identified as having a particular level of need for the funds, with ‘priority 1’ areas being the most in need, and ‘priority 3’ areas the least.

We contacted all Norfolk's seven district councils, along with the county council, to find out what they were bidding for.

Here is what they said...

Breckland

Breckland has said it will be bidding for funding to spruce up the district's town centres.

The council is entitled to make two bids, but has not clarified if it will do so.

Its Conservative deputy leader, Paul Claussen, confirmed that “a bid” was being explored and that it would be based on ideas from the council's existing 'Future Breckland’ programme.

This has seen consultants visit each of the district’s five market towns - Dereham, Thetford, Attleborough, Swaffham and Watton - to try and establish what sorts of investment projects they could benefit from.

A spokesman for the council said local MPs George Freeman and Liz Truss were both “involved in backing potential bid applications”.

The district was identified as a middling 'priority 2' area for investment from the fund.

Broadland

Broadland has decided not to submit any bids, despite the fact that it is entitled to make two.

The lack of any bid sparked criticism from the council’s Liberal Democrat opposition leader who said the Conservative-run authority had missed the opportunity to improve its leisure provision.

Red Lion Street in Aylsham. Picture: Danielle Booden (Image: Archant 2021)

A spokesperson for the council defended the decision not to apply, saying that efforts would instead be focused on funding streams which have been “historically successful” for the district.

Broadland is the county’s only ‘priority 3’ authority - and would therefore seen by the government as being in least need for the fund.

Great Yarmouth

Great Yarmouth is entitled to make one bid, and is understood to be doing so, but is keeping the nature of the project under wraps.

A charity fears places like Great Yarmouth will miss an opportunity to level up unless the government changes how it assesses need. (Image: Archant)

The Conservative-run council put out a tender on April 6, valued at £50k-100k, calling for “a multidisciplinary contractor to assist in the preparation of a business case for a package bid”.

Approached for comment about whether he was offering his support to a bid in Great Yarmouth, local Conservative MP Brandon Lewis did not respond.

The borough is a ‘priority 1’ authority, identified as being in high need.

King’s Lynn and West Norfolk

West Norfolk is pinning its hopes on a bid to replace Hunstanton's Oasis leisure centre.

An indicative image of how the pool at Hunstanton's new leisure centre could look. The final design is yet to be determined. (Image: Alliance Leisure Services and Saunders Boston Architects)

Conservative council leader Stuart Dark said the authority was “really excited” by the potential project.

“It represents a huge opportunity for us to deliver a great scheme for our residents and we are delighted to have the formal endorsement of our MP, James Wild, for this bid,” he said.

The borough is entitled to make two bids but has decided to make only one.

Mr Dark said: “Liz Truss MP, who covers more than one [council area], has given her endorsement to a project in the Breckland district. If it goes ahead it would bring even more investment into the county and we wish them every success.”

The borough has 'priority 1' status.

Norfolk (County)

The county council is entitled to apply for one transport-related bid of £20m-£50m, and has decided to apply for funds to replace King’s Lynn’s Southgates roundabout with a new system of junctions, gyratory for cyclists, and pedestrianised areas.

West Norfolk's Mr Dark said that if both the Oasis and Southgates projects were successful, it could represent a total of more than £50m of investment from the Fund.

North Norfolk

Liberal Democrat-run North Norfolk and will be making both of the applications to which it is entitled.

These are the creation of a 25m swimming pool and improved sports facilities at Fakenham Sports Centre, and in Cromer, the regeneration of the cliff-top gardens and open spaces, along with further investment in the town’s pier.

Broadland MP Jerome Mayhew has given his backing to the Fakenham bid and North Norfolk MP Duncan Baker has supported the Cromer one.

The area has 'priority 1' status.

Norwich

Labour-run Norwich is also making the two £20m bids to which it is entitled.

City Hall in Norwich (Image: Mike Page)

The details remain unclear at this stage, but council leader Alan Waters has said the bids will aim to “drive regeneration and amenities” in the city.

Norwich North’s Conservative MP Chloe Smith, and Norwich South’s Labour MP Clive Lewis, have each given their support to a bid.

The city is a ‘priority 1’ authority.

South Norfolk

South Norfolk has decided not to apply for funding.

Shoppers in Diss, south Norfolk. A potential £80m of investment could have been bid for by Broadland and South Norfolk councils, to regenerate high streets and improve cultural assets. (Image: Archant © 2010)

The council, which is a 'priority 2' area, defended its decision not to apply on the grounds that it would be unlikely to succeed without having ‘priority 1’ status.

As in Broadland, the authority’s Liberal Democrat opposition leader criticised the lack of bids, saying there were “lots of needs” for “our market towns, for our leisure facilities and for community transport”.