The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has announced that Rutland County Council (RCC) and Melton Borough Council's (MBC) joint levelling up bid has been successful.

RCC and MBC submitted a joint bid to the Government's Levelling Up Fund (LUF) round 2 in August 2022. The joint bid sought £23 million investment from the Government to deliver upgrades along three key themes.

These themes are as follows:

1. Food Innovation: development of the Stockyard site to provide a multifunctional events space and associated infrastructure, food and drinks production units and spaces where visitors can enjoy our local produce
2. Health innovation: development of a new digital innovation facility anchored around health at the Oakham Hospital Site
3. Sustainable Travel: development of an e-enabled, community directed approach to demand focus travel, based on a Mobi-Hub, headquartered at the Oakham Hospital Site but providing links across the whole geography harnessing the economic potential of over 100,000 people

This funding is part of more than 100 projects across the UK that have been awarded a share of £2.1 billion from round 2 of the Government's flagship Levelling Up Fund.

This Government funding will target historically overlooked areas – with £672 million to develop better transport links, £821 million to kick-start community regeneration, and £594 million to restore local heritage sites.

Alicia Kearns MP raised RCC and MBC's joint Levelling Up Bid with the Prime Minister this week, watch here:

Alicia Kearns, MP for Rutland and Melton said: "I am absolutely delighted that Rutland and Melton's Joint Levelling Up Bid has been successful! This is the most fantastic news and will change the future of so many of our communities. I have worked hard alongside Councillor Joe Orson and Councillor Lucy Stephenson to promote our wonderful Levelling Up Bid focused on rural innovation and I am just so pleased that our work has paid off.

"Rurality should never serve as a barrier to our thriving communities, and this funding will be truly transformative in promoting our local culture, health and transport infrastructure. Thank you to everyone involved and I look forward to seeing our plans become a reality!"

Cllr Joe Orson, Leader of Melton Borough Council said: "This is absolutely fantastic news for Melton and alongside the pre-Christmas announcement on the relief road, will provide a massive boost to the economy and regeneration of our borough. The delivery of these projects will enhance our reputation as the Rural Capital of Food, providing economic opportunities and support for established business and start up producers.

"Moreover, the creation of an event space at the Stockyard and investment into the theatre will together enrich our cultural offer and events, which will support the town centre and its expanding evening economy. I'm excited we can now start working with our partners on this long term project to ensure the proposals set out in the bid are delivered to our community as soon as possible." 

Cllr Lucy Stephenson, Leader of Rutland County Council, added: "We are delighted that our joint bid was successful and that we've been awarded this funding to invest in Rutland and Melton. This money will help us to support key priorities around reducing health inequality, increasing highly skilled job opportunities, improving transport and connectivity in our area and enhancing access to the county's unique cultural attractions."

We also interviewed Lee Rowley, Minister for Local Government of United Kingdom, who spoke about his ambitions following today's Levelling Up announcements:

The planned investments incorporated in the Rutland County Council and Melton Borough Counil's Joint Levelling Up Bid include:

• Major upgrades to Melton's Stockyard, with increased food production units and improved retail facilities
• Healthcare boost through the creation of a Medi-Tech research and innovation space in Rutland
• New Demand Responsive Transport infrastructure, improving public transport and linking towns and countryside across the area 
• Culture investments in Rutland and Melton, refurbishing the SMB theatre in Melton and transforming tourism in Rutland