Bolton is set to receive just under £10million worth of “Levelling Up” funds from the government, the third most of all Greater Manchester boroughs.

This comes as part of a combined total of £2.6billion of funding that is being given out to communities across the UK in areas believed to need extra resources to reverse years of economic decline.

The money will be used to regenerate run down streets, tackle anti-social behaviour and crime and to fund new investment and job opportunities.

Bolton West Conservative MP Chris Green said: “I welcome the government’s work to level up across the United Kingdom and I welcome this money being spent on Bolton.

“But its got to be part of a bigger, wider deal and I look forward to working with Council leader Martyn Cox and the rest of Bolton Council to make sure the money is spent effectively.”

In total, Bolton will be allocated £9,115,364, the third most of any borough in the city region, behind Manchester with £16,613,628 and Wigan with £9,938,101.

The money, known officially as the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, is allocated to areas across the country by taking into account their population and by working out their level of need by considering factors like unemployment rates and income levels.

The funding matches previous EU funding from the European Social Fund and European Regional Development Fund that areas received before Brexit.

Decisions on how to spend the money will be made by elected leaders in local government, with input from local MPs, businesses and voluntary groups.

But opposition leaders say that “Levelling Up” does not make up for the damage inflicted by longer term cuts made by the government over the last 12 years.

Bolton Labour group leader Cllr Nick Peel said: “Its marginally offsetting £150million plus that the council has lost since 2010 and it this rate it would take another 15 years to get it back.

“At the same time that we’re getting Levelling Up funds, money is being taken out of the council’s revenue budget.

“So its not new, its replacing money that’s already been lost.”