Title

FINANCE

Council to consider levelling up fund judicial review

Durham County Council will consider seeking a judicial review into how the Government allocated levelling up funding after the authority spent £1.2m on failed bids.

Durham County Council will consider seeking a judicial review into how the Government allocated levelling up funding after the authority spent £1.2m on failed bids.

Durham made a successful bid for the town Bishop Auckland in round one of the funding allocations in 2021.

The local authority said it then spent £1.2m on bids for five other constituencies in the second round of funding.

These bids were unsuccessful. Former levelling up minister Dehenna Davison admitted that after round two bids came in, a rule was introduced that meant councils that were successful in round one could not win cash in the next round.

In November last year, the Government announced that the third round of funding would go to unsuccessful bids from round two.

At a full Durham CC meeting last week, members voted unanimously for the cabinet to consider seeking a judicial review of how bids were determined in rounds two and three.

The cabinet will discuss the issue ‘at an upcoming meeting'.

FINANCE

LGR pause and review: what councils need to know

By Christopher Kerr | 18 September 2026

Christopher Kerr looks at the immediate issues and future concerns councils need to address following the pause in local government reorganisation.

FINANCE

Dealing with LGR limbo

By Neil Merrick | 15 September 2026

Councils face renewed uncertainty over staffing, finances, contracts and long-term planning as ministers review local government reorganisation. Neil Merrick...

FINANCE

Seizing a key opportunity to deliver affordable and social housing

By Vince Maple | 14 September 2026

Councils should be at the heart of delivery for the Social and Affordable Homes Programme to be a once-in-a-generation success, says Vince Maple.

FINANCE

The £8bn SCAPE bet councils are about to make

By Laurie Nicol | 14 September 2026

SCAPE has tripled the partners on its £8bn construction framework. Laurie Nicol says councils will pay a price for all three either way; what they can still ...

Popular articles by Ellie Ames

-->