A delay to the announcement on the outcome of the 'Levelling Up' scheme is 'the latest in a long line of failures' by the government, one Bolton MP said.

The borough was due to learn if two bids worth a total of £40 million were successful before the end of this year, but a letter this week said all bidders must wait until the New Year due to the number of applications and the standard of applications received.

Yasmin Qureshi, the MP for Bolton South East, said that the scheme was 'insufficient' already, and that the delay was 'the latest in a long line of failures'.

Ms Qureshi said: "The Conservative Party was elected on a pledge to level up our towns across Britain, of which Bolton is the largest. We were told that there would be huge investment and that the scales would be rebalanced.

"Over three years on from the election, we see the reality of the levelling up policy, an insufficient pot of money administered from Whitehall which fails to scratch the surface on the support my constituency and my town need.

"The delay to the funding is the latest in a long line of failures from this government and it is my constituents who are losing out."

The Bolton News: Bolton town centre levelling up

In Bolton, the two bids are for investment into the town centre and into De Havilland Way.

In the town centre, the aim is to add a high-end hotel to Le Mans Crescent and a conference complex to Albert Halls, and to make improvements to Market Place shopping centre and the area around Mawdsley Street.

Meanwhile on De Havilland Way, the aim is to increase capacity and improve connectivity in an area of significant congestion between the Beehive Roundabout and Junction Six of the motorway.

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A letter this week, signed by minister Dehenna Davison, reads: "Having received such a high number of quality applications, the announcement has been delayed until the New Year to allow us to allocate additional funds.

"It is vitally important we give ourselves enough time to consider the outcome of assessments carefully before a final decision on applications is made.

"I appreciate that this delay will be disappointing for you given the huge amounts of work that has gone into applications, and I am grateful to you for your patience. 

"But I am also sure you will agree that the additional funds will enable a larger number of excellent bids to receive the support that they deserve."

In an initial round of the scheme last year, the borough was awarded £20 million for Bolton College of Medical Sciences, where work started in the last few months.

The borough was denied £16 million for a redevelopment of Crompton Place shopping centre, now on hold until at least 2024.