Labour has branded the Tory-led Coalition running the County Council a “failure” and attacked the Government for turning its back on Durham.
The claim comes after the Council failed to win a single penny of Levelling Up investment from the Government, despite submitting five bids in the last round of funding.
County Durham Labour Leader, Cllr Carl Marshall, said:
“This chaotic Coalition is dragging County Durham back to the dark ages. It’s a case study of how not to run a local authority. A failing council supporting a failing government that has turned its back on County Durham.
“Cllr Hopgood and Cllr Bell inherited signed-off, oven-ready Levelling Up bids that ticked every box required to secure funding. However, it decided to review them all, weakening some, ignoring others and ultimately costing this county millions of pounds in investment.
“The decision not to put the Stanley bid in the first round of funding was a stupid political decision, to put five competing bids in the second round was a stupid political decision – and these are just two of a multitude of stupid political decisions this Coalition has made and continues to make.
“So, what does Levelling Up look like in County Durham? A handful of failed bids, thousands of wasted manhours and half a bypass at Toft Hill to fulfil the election pledge of one-term MP, scarpering before she is thrown out at the next general election.
“This Coalition is a failure, and that failure is impacting on every person in County Durham.”
Deputy Leader, Cllr Rob Crute, said:
“The government not supporting a single county bid tells us all we need to know about what it thinks of County Durham and is a demonstration of the ineffectiveness of not only the county’s Tory MPs, but also this shambolic Tory-led Coalition.
“The people running the council are more concerned about keeping Labour out than they are about doing their job – the most important job in the world: looking after people in County Durham.”
County Durham Levelling Up bids:
Bowburn Relief Road – tackling capacity and bringing forward Phase3 of Integra 61. Improvements to A690 and measures to boost connectivity and links to cultural attractions.
Horden Regeneration – brownfield land used for social housing and community assets, including nature reserve and woodland. Streets improved, encouraging sustainable travel.
Stanley Regeneration – bringing town centre buildings back to life and improving public transport. To improve A693 traffic, including Asda roundabout and Oxhill junction, boosting public transport journey times and punctuality. Better connections to Coast 2 Coast route.
North West Durham Willington/ Crook/ Tow Law – new community hub, improved parks, multi-use games areas, event spaces, a BMX track and skate park. Better infrastructure at Low Willington Industrial Estate to support development. Upgraded cycling and walking routes between Crook and Willington, new EV charging points promoting sustainable travel.
Sedgefield /Newton Aycliffe – buildings repurposed, public transport interchange and reprovision of car parking. Enhanced active travel routes, linking employment, railway, green spaces and homes. Cultural attractions alongside leisure and library services.