A BRADFORD district MP has urged the Government to "honour" funding announced for Bingley swimming pool earlier this year.

In March, the then-Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt revealed in the Spring Budget that Bingley would receive £14.5 million as part of Levelling Up cash to redevelop and reopen the crumbling pool, which shut in 2020.

Anna Dixon, who was elected Labour MP for Shipley in the General Election in July, has now said the new Labour Government was "having to carefully review all Levelling Up projects" as the Tories "left a black hole in the country's finances".

She has this week written to Alex Norris, Parliamentary-Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and pushed for the previously announced funding for Bingley pool to go ahead. 

Bingley swimming poolBingley swimming pool (Image: T&A)

In her letter, Ms Dixon said: "I recognise the problematic position that your department and the rest of the Government are in due to the £22 billion budget black hole left by the Conservatives.

"I understand that during these fiscally challenging times, it is essential for all departments to assess spending carefully. 

"As a result, your department has made the difficult choice to freeze funding for all Levelling Up bids that have yet to progress beyond stage two.

"However, I urge you to honour the funding awarded to Bingley, a town within my constituency. 

"The grant awarded to Bingley last March, particularly the plans to redevelop and reopen the historic Bingley swimming pool, would be significant for the area. 

"This is reflected by the strength of local opinion I have received in recent days."

She added: "Redeveloping Bingley swimming pool would restore a vital community resource."

The Telegraph & Argus asked the Government for a response to Ms Dixon's letter and was told future details on Levelling Up funding would be set out "in due course".

Last month, the T&A reported that Ms Dixon claimed promises made over Bingley pool by the previous Government were "hollow as the money simply wasn't there".

But Sir Philip Davies, the former Conservative MP for Shipley, described her remark as "simply dishonest".

"The money for Bingley swimming pool was literally in the Spring Budget - with the figures enshrined in the Office for Budget Responsibility numbers which sit alongside it," he added.

Former Chancellor Mr Hunt also described Labour's comments about the £22bn "black hole" as a "shameless attempt to lay the grounds for tax rises".