Promise of £5m for High Peak was ‘shameless pre-election bung we knew they couldn’t afford’

In March 2024 it was announced the High Peak would be awarded £5m from the Conservative government from the Levelling Up Culture and Capital Projects fund.

The Labour Government has announced they are to cancel High Peak’s Levelling Up funding as part of the Budget, says the former MP.

Mr Largan said following an extensive residents’ survey the funding was earmarked for Partington Theatre, Victoria Hall and Buxton Opera House.

However, defending the budget Mr Pearce said: “This is typically shameless from the former Conservative MP.

“Three months since he was resoundingly rejected by the people of High Peak there has been no apology for crashing the economy and the mess he and his government left the public finances in - with millions stuck on NHS waiting list, crumbling schools and so many families of SEND children utterly let down.” Mr Pearce said the Labour government has started ‘fixing the foundation of the economy’ and ‘filling the blackholes left by the Conservatives’.

He said going forward the government will be investing in public services with money to rebuild 500 schools, £1billion for SEND support and NHS funding to deliver an extra 2 million operations, scans and appointments per year.

Mr Pearce said: “There are still difficult decisions to be made though.

“This funding was a shameless pre-election bung that we all knew they couldn’t afford.

“They didn't fool anyone in High Peak when they came to cast their ballot for their MP.

“I'll continue to work with High Peak Borough Council, Derbyshire County Council and central government to ensure High Peak gets its fair share of real investment.

“No more worthless Monopoly money promises like we got from the Conservatives.”

Leader of High Peak Borough Council, Councillor Anthony Mckeown said: “Whilst we, along with the partners we worked with across the High Peak to develop our investment plan, are disappointed the funding has been withdrawn, it is even more disappointing to hear this was never a proper funding scheme in the first place.

"We will take our opportunity to talk to the government to see what options can be explored without this funding.

“We will continue our longstanding work with our cultural partners across the High Peak and do what we can to support them whilst looking for what help we can gain from other funding sources such as the Arts Council and National Lottery."

But Mr Largan added: “I successfully secured much-needed Levelling Up funding for High Peak.

“However, hidden in the small print of this Budget, Labour have said that they are minded to scrap the funding.

“This would be a huge blow for the High Peak and be the exact opposite of what we were promised at the election.

“I hope there will be a local cross-party effort to safeguard our Levelling Up money.

“I look forward to Jon Pearce and High Peak Labour Party joining me in opposing any move to take away our funding.”