The government’s levelling-up plan contains some good recommendations but will be delivered “far too late” for many businesses, according to UKBF founder and CEO, Richard Osborne.
Two-and-a-half years after Boris Johnson’s election-winning pledge to “level up” the UK, his government has released its much-anticipated strategy. The document, unveiled by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove last week, sets out 12 “national missions” to be achieved by 2030.
Key points from the government’s plan include:
Richard Osborne, founder and CEO of UK Business Forums, said: “Whilst there is no doubt that the levelling-up white paper includes many laudable recommendations to level the national playing field, what’s most important to UK small businesses is that these are not just ideas that never come into fruition.”
Wolverhampton and Sheffield are to be the first of 20 towns and city centres to benefit from “ambitious, King’s Cross-style regeneration projects”.
Richard, who is known as @Ozzy on the forum, said: “Without question, small and micro businesses have been failed by the Government and the aim that the ‘national missions’ will be achieved by 2030 will be far too late for many of them.
"Support has been too little and too late, and the real measure of the value of this white paper is the actual and timely delivery of the levelling up agenda. Let’s hope, for the sake of the UK’s small businesses, that this is not another talking shop.”
UKBF members have been largely critical of the plans on the Who's Levelling Up? thread.
Member @Newchodge, who hails from the North East, said: “Giving the power to local authorities to produce improvements is great, but without funding it is meaningless.”
Two-and-a-half years after Boris Johnson’s election-winning pledge to “level up” the UK, his government has released its much-anticipated strategy. The document, unveiled by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove last week, sets out 12 “national missions” to be achieved by 2030.
Key points from the government’s plan include:
- “London-style” devolution deal for every part of England that wishes to have one
- Transport and infrastructure funding will be redirected to poorer areas, like parts of the North and Midlands, and coastal communities
- Plans to improve child literacy and numeracy, especially in low-attainment areas
- Increase in the number of people completing high-quality skills training
- Regions outside London and the South East to benefit more from an increase in research and development (R&D) spending
Richard Osborne, founder and CEO of UK Business Forums, said: “Whilst there is no doubt that the levelling-up white paper includes many laudable recommendations to level the national playing field, what’s most important to UK small businesses is that these are not just ideas that never come into fruition.”
Focusing on specific regions
According to the plan, Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and Glasgow-City Region are to be new “Innovation Accelerators” – areas backed by £100 million of new government funding to “turbo-charge local growth”.Wolverhampton and Sheffield are to be the first of 20 towns and city centres to benefit from “ambitious, King’s Cross-style regeneration projects”.
Richard, who is known as @Ozzy on the forum, said: “Without question, small and micro businesses have been failed by the Government and the aim that the ‘national missions’ will be achieved by 2030 will be far too late for many of them.
"Support has been too little and too late, and the real measure of the value of this white paper is the actual and timely delivery of the levelling up agenda. Let’s hope, for the sake of the UK’s small businesses, that this is not another talking shop.”
UKBF members have been largely critical of the plans on the Who's Levelling Up? thread.
Member @Newchodge, who hails from the North East, said: “Giving the power to local authorities to produce improvements is great, but without funding it is meaningless.”
- @Japancool said: “So Leeds is the third-largest metropolitan area in the UK and yet I've heard nothing about our local area. HS2 to Leeds has been cancelled, so that ain't going to happen. Local people are moaning and griping about a potential expansion of Leeds/Bradford airport, so transport links aren't going to improve.”
- @IanSuth said: “From what I can see, it will mean precisely zero as there is no new money, just a new set of labels. I am still unsure about metropolitan mayors unless they are getting rid of something else – an extra layer of bureaucracy helps no one ever and always costs.”
- @Thetiger2015 said: “It's just another excuse for a round of free cash to private companies.”
- @estwig said: “If I gotta send my hard-earned up North to pay for bus stops and cycle lanes, they should pay more for their homes, more if they want a builder, or their car fixed, or anything else that costs twice as much as down here. That's levelling up!”
