THE leader of Bradford Council has criticised the fact that a new pot of Government funding will require local areas to compete against each other.

In March the Government announced the UK Community Renewal Fund - a £220 million pot of cash to help “support people and communities most in need.”

Bradford was named as one of many priority areas for the fund, based on “an index of economic resilience.”

It means schemes in Bradford are more likely to be awarded funding than lower priority areas, including Leeds.

Calderdale and Wakefield are also listed as high priority areas.

The fund was discussed at a meeting of West Yorkshire Combined Authority on Thursday.

Councils, businesses and community groups will be urged to draw up plans for scheme to help regenerate areas and boost jobs.

Each area is likely to get a maximum of £3 million from the fund.

New funding pipelines could help revive South Bradford 'enterprise zone' plan

These plans will be submitted to the Government - which will decide which ones will get funding this Summer.

Chair of the Combined Authority Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, also Leader of Bradford Council, said while the funding was welcome, it forced different areas to compete with each other at a time all areas need help to recover from the Covid pandemic.

She said: "It is a competitive funding arrangement again, with is something local authorities are not keen on.

"All communities need support.

"The need for extra help for Bradford is no greater than the need for help in Wakefield, but we have to compete with each other."

To qualify for the funding any proposed projects would have to be completed by March.