Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that in the case of specific funding schemes for (1) parks, (2) play areas, (3) leisure facilities, (4) town centres, (5) high streets, (6) community centres, and (7) other facilities for which town and parish councils commonly exercise powers that are concurrent with those of principal councils, town and parish councils are able to apply or compete for funding on the same basis as principal councils.

Whilst the Government does not have the necessary powers to pay parish and town councils directly, the Secretary of State has written to principal authorities to urge them to discuss appropriate funding support for parish and town councils from within the support we have provided to them. The Government has allocated over £8 billion directly to principal authorities since the start of the pandemic and has committed to provide a further £3 billion for 2021/22.

Therefore, I would encourage parish and town councils to continue to liaise with the relevant principal authorities on how this money is allocated in their area.