Michael Gove visiting Moray to give feedback on failed £18m funding bid
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Michael Gove has pledged to visit Moray and give feedback on the local authority’s unsuccessful £18 million funding bid.
The Secretary of State for Levelling Up made the promise while discussing the issue with Moray MP Douglas Ross.
It comes as members of the Moray Council's economic development committee voted to write to Mr Gove asking for the decision on the Levelling Up Fund bid to be reversed.
The decision to write was passed earlier today by seven votes to six.
During the debate a letter from Mr Ross was read out which included Mr Gove’s pledge to come to Moray and give feedback to councillors and officers.
The local authority spent around £325,000 on submitting the application that would have brought three projects in Elgin to fruition.
A total of £125,000 of that came from the UK Government.
Councillor Graham Leadbitter (Elgin South, SNP) put forward a motion calling for the committee to write.
He criticised Kathleen Robertson, the Conservative leader of Moray Council, for not lobbying Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at a recent meeting with Tory party members in Inverness.
But Peter Bloomfield (Elgin South, Conservative) said there was no time for discussions, adding: "It was hello, handshake and move on."
Cllr Leadbitter felt communities in the south of England had benefited most out of the fund to the detriment of others in Scotland and elsewhere
He said: "We’re looking for a reversal of the decision for Moray.
"I would be more then happy to lobby my own government, and did that in the past.
"It’s the right thing to do – to fight Moray’s corner."
He added lobbying the Scottish Government aided funding for the Lossiemouth bridge to the east beach, new-build high schools and flood schemes.
Amber Dunbar (Elgin North, Conservative) tabled an amendment asking for feedback on the bid, feeling it was "unrealistic" for the decision to be reversed.
She said: "I was as disappointed as anyone over the bid.
"But I don’t think it would be fair to ask for a reversal."
She stated it would be better to seek advice so that a future bid had more chance of success.
Marc Macrae (Fochabers/Lhanbryde, Conservative), the committee's chairman, stated the £2.1bn fund had received 529 bids from all over the UK, with only 111 being granted.
Draeyk van der Horn (Forres, Green) said he was "extremely upset" over the bid decision.
John Cowe (Heldon and Laich, Independent) felt it was time for the council to "sharpen its pencil" to ensure future funding bid success.
Sandy Keith (Elgin North, Labour) wondered if there was an "anti-Moray bias" when it came to funding.
As well as missing out on levelling up money, Moray has only received £270,000 from the £236 million Regeneration Capital Grant Find over the last 10 years.
Design work compiled for the failed application will be used to try and secure other funding.
However that money is not guaranteed.
The £18 million was supposed to fund three projects in Elgin.
One was to tackle flooding at the auction mart and former sawmill site on Linkwood Road.
Disused buildings in the town centre were to be redeveloped for commercial and residential use.
And the third was to create an arts centre on South Street.
Around 40 jobs were expected to be created as part of the rejuvenation work.
It is not known when Mr Gove’s visit will take place.
