Labour politicians in Enfield slam Conservative government’s decision to not award borough any money from its Levelling Up Fund, reports James Cracknell

The leader of Enfield Council and a local MP both slammed the government today for ignoring the borough in its flagship Levelling Up Fund – which was established to help deprived areas.
Council leader Nesil Caliskan described the competition among local councils for government cash as like “bidding bingo” after the local authority failed to secure vital funding for two Enfield borough projects – including one that would have transformed Angel Edmonton town centre.
Edmonton MP Kate Osamor also criticised the government, pointing out that of the 80 successful bids to the second round of the Levelling Up Fund across England, only half were listed among the 100 most deprived areas of the country. One successful bid was for a £45million road improvement scheme in Kent.
Cllr Caliskan said: “I’m really disappointed that the government hasn’t supported our levelling up bids. The Conservatives might not believe in our borough, but Enfield’s Labour council will continue to invest in Enfield and will be finding other ways to deliver on our ambitious plans for our borough and residents.
“How can it be right that Edmonton, the 71st-most deprived constituency in the country, misses out on a transformational £16m plan, while Rishi Sunak’s constituency, the 450th-most deprived, gets £19m?
“It’s time communities weren’t forced to go cap-in-hand for crumbs while our budgets are cut every year thanks to the government crashing the economy. These ‘bidding bingo’ rounds [are] not a helpful approach. We need long-term sustainable funding and powers to help deliver deprived areas success.”
Enfield Council says it made two bids to the Levelling Up Fund. One was a £16.1m bid for town centre regeneration in Angel Edmonton, including a redevelopment of Boundary Hall Community Centre, redesign of Florence Hayes Recreation Ground, new workspaces, green spaces, a food hub and public realm improvements.

A second bid focused on the council’s existing Enfield Chase Restoration Project, with £18m requested to help deliver a “leading outdoor cultural destination” by transforming an old farm building into a visitor centre, exhibition and event space, plus an artist studio, café and bike hire facility. The plans also included a sculpture trail, outdoor woodland performance space, accessible walking trails and cycling routes, a wild swimming pond and the rewilding of an additional 500 hectares of former farmland.
Levelling Up Fund bids submitted by neighbouring Haringey and Waltham Forest councils, including for a major regeneration project in Tottenham, were successful. Barnet will also be benefiting from a successful bid submitted by the Greater London Authority. In total, seven out of 32 London borough councils won funding.
In reaction to the news of Enfield Council’s failed bids, Edmonton’s Labour MP Kate Osamor has today written to Secretary of State Michael Gove. She wrote: “It is disheartening to see that the announced funding includes projects that have little to do with levelling up […] I urge you to re-evaluate the allocation of funds through the Levelling Up Fund and ensure that funding is directed towards the communities that truly need it.”
Michael Gove, announcing the winners of the second round of funding this morning, said: “We are firing the starting gun on more than a hundred transformational projects in every corner of the UK that will revitalise communities that have historically been overlooked but are bursting with potential.
“This new funding will create jobs, drive economic growth, and help to restore local pride. We are delivering on the people’s priorities, levelling up across the UK to ensure that no matter where you are from, you can go as far as your talents will take you.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak added: “Through greater investment in local areas, we can grow the economy, create good jobs and spread opportunity everywhere.”
The council had also previously launched a bid to win ‘investment zone’ status for its flagship housing project, Meridian Water, but the scheme was subsequently ditched by the government following the resignation of former prime minister Liz Truss, who had previously claimed it as one of the few highlights of her shortest-ever premiership.
No news is bad news
Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.
The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.
If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.
Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.
Monthly direct debit
Annual direct debit
£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.
More information on supporting us monthly or yearly
More Information about donations