The Government has confirmed £20m worth of further ‘levelling up’ funding for Redcar and Cleveland.

The council learnt at the end of last year it had been successful with a levelling up partnerships bid, which target areas most in need of interventions based on indicators such as educational attainment, gross pay and life expectancy.

It was previously awarded £20m in a separate tranche of levelling up cash, which is being spent on projects to regenerate Eston town centre, develop a new Eston pool and provide better sustainable transport links.

Schemes which the new money will be spent on and how much they will get include:

  • Plans to redevelop the grade II listed Redcar Central station turning it into a vibrant gateway for the town with the addition of new facilities for travellers and retail/leisure offerings – £7m
  • Creating a Tees Valley All Access Academy at Redcar and Cleveland College, bringing together scaffolding, working at height, working in confined spaces, steel erecting and rigging programmes and additional welding training  – £5m
  • A refurbishment and expansion of the council’s Daisy Lane site in Ormesby which aims to offer increased employment and learning opportunities – £2m
  • Improvements to five family hubs in the area, adding outdoor space facilities and sensory stimulation areas 
  • Investment in the Tuned In! Building in Coatham with alterations including a new bar/café and box office and a redesign of a studio theatre with new seating – £3m
  • The purchase and fit out of two properties suitable for use as residential children’s homes to increase the number of children’s home places in the borough and as an alternative to higher cost out of area accommodation
  • Improved CCTV with a completely remodelled control room and replacement of existing cameras
  • Working with the housing group Thirteen to buy and renovate five homes in South Bank to address poor quality housing in the ward
  • A £600,000 community grants pot, which will help buy a fleet of minibuses and build a new skatepark.

The Government said the money would “improve lives” with education and improving skills at the heart of what it was attempting to achieve.

Meanwhile, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said it was “working hand in hand” with local leaders to “drive forward” levelling up.

Council leader Alec Brown said: “We welcome this investment in Redcar and Cleveland and have worked positively with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to make the most of the funding on offer to ensure we continue to deliver for our residents.

“Our plans are designed to improve and enhance the lives of our communities by not only investing in major infrastructure projects, but also investing in the people of the borough and their future.”