Pembroke's £10.5m levelling-up scheme update sought

Councillors have heard a call for an update on Pembroke’s £10.5m levelling-up scheme, nearly three years after its funding was announced.

At Pembrokeshire County Council’s October meeting, Monkton and St Mary South county councillor and Mayor of Pembroke, Cllr Jonathan Grimes asked for an update on the town’s Westgate to Eastgate levelling-up funding, announced in 2023.

The County Council is holding a public engagement event on the Pembroke Local Regeneration Fund project at Pembroke Town Hall on Wednesday, October 21, from 3pm to 5.30pm.

The council said: “The engagement event is an opportunity for people to share what matters most to them, highlight areas in need of improvement and put forward ideas for the future of Pembroke.”

Announced in 2023, the county’s second levelling-up award promised better pedestrian links, improved lighting, street art and new signs encouraging visitors to explore Main Street and views of the historic Mill Pond.

The plan also included an assessment of the long-vacant East End school’s potential for redevelopment.

Nearly three years later, councillors heard Cllr Grimes’s question at County Hall.

“Almost three years ago, in November 2023, Pembroke was awarded £10,543,627 from Round 3 of the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund (LUF).

“The funding was awarded specifically for the ‘Westgate to Eastgate: Levelling Up Pembroke Town’ regeneration project, with the aim of improving public accessibility, connectivity and the overall street environment.

“Given the significant level of public funding involved, I would be grateful if the relevant Cabinet Member could provide clear answers to the following.

“How much of the £10,543,627 LUF3 grant has actually been spent on the Pembroke regeneration project to date? (For clarity, I understand that any funding provided to the St Mary’s Church Bells Restoration Project was not sourced from this LUF3 allocation).

“Where is the LUF3 funding currently being held? If the funds remain with the authority, has any interest been earned on that allocation to date and how is that interest treated?”

Responding to Cllr Grimes’ questions, Deputy Leader Cllr Paul Miller said the amount paid out from the funding to date was £150,898, which related to the St Marys bells project.

“To date we’ve received £7.95m and the balance of £2.95m is still held.”

Cllr Grimes said he understood that the St Mary’s funding had come from another pot, then asked: “Given the three-year delay, how confident is the authority that funding will be fully spent by the 2028 deadline? Pembrokeshire County Council appears to have only recently initiated consultation on how the funding will be allocated; what assurances can be given that there will be time to deliver the project?”

Cllr Miller said the council was committed to spending the money and delivering the scheme on time, which he said would be “very positive for Pembroke”.

The £10.5m grant forms part of an £11.7m project, with the council committed to £1.17m match funding.