MP hits out at councillor after accusation he potentially cost constituency £20m in Levelling Up cash

Heywood and Middleton MP Chris Clarkson has hit out at a leading councillor after being accused of costing his constituency £20m in Levelling Up funds.

The explosive allegation was made by John Blundell, cabinet member for economy at Rochdale Borough Council, whose open letter to the Conservative politician has been circulating on social media.

He claims Mr Clarkson has not engaged with the council – the former and current leader and chief executive – ‘for several years’.

This, he alleges, led to the council last year missing the opportunity to submit an application to the government for Levelling Up fund monies of up to £20m.

However Mr Clarkson rejects the accusations, claiming the council had not been ‘forthcoming’ with regeneration proposals, and that Councillor Blundell was ‘playing childish games’.

Written on council-headed paper, Councillor Blundell’s letter is dated 28 February and has been shared via Rochdale Labour’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.

In it, he notes it is likely that access to Levelling Up monies will continue to be subject to MP support – meaning it is vital the council and Mr Clarkson ‘form a positive working relationship’.

Councillor Blundell continues: “The reason we did not submit an application [for Heywood and Middleton] was because we could not get hold of you to discuss regeneration projects that you might support.

“The projects submitted had to be backed by the local MP. Your sedentary approach to engaging with the council on the economy may have cost your constituency £20 million.

“Unless you change course, you may cost your constituents tens of millions of pounds more.”

The Smallbridge and Firgrove councillor then urges Mr Clarkson to respond ‘so that we can establish a time to meet to discuss how you might better serve your constituents’.

“The council will be writing to the government to ask what we can do if one of its MPs fails to engage with us appropriately,” he adds. “I look forward to your reply.”

But the missive has met with short shrift from Mr Clarkson, who became his constituency’s first ever Conservative MP in 2019.

“I am afraid that it is almost entirely inaccurate and reflects a political agenda rather than any genuine concern for the people of Heywood and Middleton as evidenced by the #VoteLabour hashtag on his posts, despite the letter being on council-headed paper,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“Councillor Blundell has not made any attempts to engage with me on the Levelling Up fund and has only once contacted my office, on another matter.

“His claim that I have cost the area £20m has no basis in fact.”

Mr Clarkson adds that he previously met with council leader Neil Emmott and expressed his ‘desire to have a meaningful discussion about the fund’.

At this meeting, the Conservative MP says he requested details of any council proposals so he ‘could have conversations with constituents about them to see if they truly reflect the priorities of our communities’.

“Levelling Up is something which should be done with the community, not to the community,” added Mr Clarkson. 

“The proposals from the council were not forthcoming.”

However, the parliamentarian says he has been offered a meeting with the council leader and lead finance officer ‘and intend to take this up’.

He continued: “I have written privately to Cllr Blundell to refute his claims but prefer to conduct my business in an appropriate manner and not through social media and the press.

“People are fed up of politicians playing childish games and point-scoring. My focus is on delivering for my constituents. Not on retweets and ‘likes’.

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter