THIS week saw the government unveil details about long-awaited plans to “level up” the country and narrow the disparities being faced by households across the UK.

Michael Gove, levelling up secretary, published a white paper spanning hundreds of pages with details on each region of the country.

The BCP Council area gets a mention in the south west but just what is said and is it new information.

First, let's take a look at what levelling up is all about.

Levelling up explained

The phrase was a key slogan of Boris Johnson’s 2019 election campaign but ministers have all too often been at pains to define what it actually is.

The ambition is to address the vast regional inequalities across the UK but without, as the Prime Minister puts it, “cutting down the tall poppies” or trying to “hobble” wealthy areas.

Now there are a dozen national “missions” to be met by 2030 setting out to give real-world substance to the slogan, however opposition politicians suggest many of these are not new.

White papers are government reports giving information or proposals on an issue.

Gove's mission

The secretary of state has said pay, employment and productivity must rise in “every area” in the UK, while local public transport across the country must become “significantly closer” to London’s standards.

Bournemouth Echo: Michael GoveMichael Gove (Image: PA)

Other targets include 90 per cent of primary school children in England achieving the expected standards in reading, writing and maths, while homicide, serious violence and neighbourhood crime must fall.

The gap in healthy life expectancy between the best and worst performing areas must narrow, with the measure rising by five years by 2035.

Mr Gove set out plans for 20 new urban regeneration projects across the Midlands and northern England, with £1.8 billion in new housing projects.

He also highlighted £5 billion of investment in bus services and “active travel”.

More than £100 million was committed for “innovation accelerators” aiming to replicate the success of Silicon valley in the West Midlands, Glasgow and Greater Manchester.

More regional mayors in England could be created under a strategy to increase devolution and transferring powers held in Whitehall to local leaders.

In our area

The white paper very helpfully provides a regional breakdown covering how the UK Government "has been taking action to level up" each region.

In a summary section, the document says: "The south west is already benefiting from investments to boost living standards, spread opportunity, restore local pride and empower local leaders."

The region had an initial £131million investment in the first round of the Levelling Up Fund but none of the six projects in the south west were in Dorset.

Bournemouth Towns Fund, which has been extensively covered by the Daily Echo, features in the white paper. A pot of £21.7million is set to be invested through 10 projects in Boscombe, with some of the work already under way. The funding was backed in March's budget.

Another familiar fund gets a mention and its schemes have proved rather controversial with residents across the conurbation and east Dorset. BCP Council and Dorset Council were jointly awarded £79m by the Department for Transport through its Transforming Cities Fund several years ago. The investment is funding a network of 78km of new cycle and walking routes and bus improvements across the area, connecting major housing, employment, education and retail centres.

The subject of new hospitals is a point of much controversy in political circles but that hasn't stopped it featuring in the white paper. It states there will be a new build of St Ann’s Hospital for Child and Adult Mental Health Services in Poole, the rebuild of Poole Community Hospital with theatres and sterile services, the rebuild of Bournemouth Community Hospital and the rebuild of Christchurch Community Hospital. Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust was successful in five bids for sites back in 2020, however, at the time refused to provide details. All five schemes will be led by Dorset HealthCare and are all due to be implemented between 2025 and 2030.

What has BCP Council said

The local authority was quick to react to the white paper, highlighting that the administration was quick to appoint a lead member for levelling up, Cllr Toby Johnson.

In a statement, Cllr Johnson: “As one of the UK’s first local authorities to create a dedicated lead member role for levelling up we are prepared and are ready to work together with government to bring future investment to the areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole that need it most.

“Our region has great strengths, but we know we need to widen opportunities so that more people can fulfil their potential. 

"Through our corporate strategy and Big Plan we have set out a commitment to provide high quality homes at all levels of affordability in sustainable environments that put people and communities at the heart of future regeneration and investment.

Bournemouth Echo: Cllr Toby JohnsonCllr Toby Johnson

"We are determined to improve opportunities around skills, bring about better paid jobs and help people to lead active, healthy and independent lives.  This is levelling up in the purest sense and we welcome the opportunities presented to us through the government’s levelling up agenda to improve the standard of living for our communities across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and help our region reach its full productivity potential.   

“We know many will understandably be concerned with investment going to the north however with our laser focus on knowing what we need to do to make sure the success of levelling up is delivered across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole we are giving government the confidence that our region is the place to focus future investment. 

“Our next step is to digest the detail set out in the government’s white paper and work with our local communities to take forward our investment plans.”