THE £5MILLION awarded for cultural projects across Redditch is no longer available the government has confirmed.
The cash allocated in the spring budget from the previous government’s Levelling Up Fund was aimed at supporting arts and culture projects across the borough.
Redditch Borough council said in a statement that the Government has reconfirmed that the funding is not available.
Former leader of the council, Matt Dormer has slammed the government’s decision, saying more should have been done to protect this funding.
He said: “Councillors locally haven’t kicked up enough of a fuss.
“It is so disappointing to see this happen, the town could have had a bustling culture scene – one it desperatly needs.
“The funding was ring-fenced for the Palace Theatre and smaller community groups.
“It feels like now we’re at risk of losing funding we have previously been allocated.”
Projects totalling £100m had originally been announced under the previous Conservative government’s levelling-up programme, external, which Labour announced it would review when it took power.
Funding worth a total of £47m was announced for projects across England, with many of the previous grants cancelled or reduced.
Two projects in the region will be going ahead, with a cultural gateway in Coventry to receive £5m, while projects linked to the Scala theatre in Worcester will get £2.3million.
Redditch Borough Council leader, Coun Joe Baker, previously said he was also disappointed with the news.
He made a statement in November last year after the Autumn budget was announced.
He said: “The previous Government had set aside the funding, however we have always known this has been under review and not guaranteed.
“We did consider this money was vital to our communities and to the groups and organisations which were going to use these funds to enhance and improve our local area and the cultural opportunities available.
