Council still waiting on £6m in levelling up funds

A Welsh council is still waiting to find out if it will receive a further £6m in UK government levelling up funding, a senior councillor has revealed.

Powys County Council said earlier this month it had received nearly £11m from the UK government and will spend this on transport schemes.

The funding will be used on projects including resurfacing works, walking and cycling schemes and refurbishment of rights of way, it added.

However, councillor Jackie Charlton confirmed that due to the funding delay, a number of projects were on hold and would not be started during this financial year, while the rest of the bid would be dependent on a UK government review.

The cabinet member for highways, transport and recycling said the original bid was for about £17m, plus match funding.

"The rest of the bid is subject to the UK government Spending Review, which we are still awaiting news on this," she said.

Charlton added that "some flexibility" might be needed with resurfacing works due to changes in conditions since the bid was sent to Westminster and departments' budgets under and overspends.

Due to the funding uncertainty, a number of projects in the county were being partly funded and completed in the future once more money is found.

In the walking and cycling projects, the tri-town cycle route phase one, connecting Llandrindod Wells to Howey, would only get partial funding.

The Brecon Promenade has received full funding, as has the project on the U1670 in Llandrindod Lake and the replacment of the Pont y Milgy footbridge.

Among bridge projects not currently funded are the Festival Footbridge, the Black Bridge, Llangadfan footbridge and the crossing at Fron.

The Trans Cambrian Cycle Links Project also failed to receive any of the funding.

Out of the 33 infrastructure refurbishments planned, 28 were fully funded, while five were only partly funded.

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