THREAD: We welcome @RishiSunak’s announcement of once in a life time investment to create pride in places across the country, especially those most in need.

But what does the £4bn Levelling Up Fund mean for communities? 1/5 #SR20

The fund will prioritise places that have previously missed out, with an opportunity for all local areas across the country to bid for money, but we must make sure ‘left behind’ areas get their fair share of investment 2/5

Research by @osci_uk identified 225 ‘left behind’ neighbourhoods across England suggesting that social infrastructure such as places to meet, community activities and connectivity (digital and transport) made a big difference to outcomes for residents http://bit.ly/LTLeftBehind  3/5

The Levelling Up Fund mentions community infrastructure and investment in road & rail and arts & culture which is positive, but polling by @survation showed people living in ‘left behind’ neighbourhoods want places to meet 4/5

Money invested in ‘left behind’ neighbourhoods should be resident-led, long-term & at a neighbourhood level, through a @commwealthfund, enabling communities to build confidence & capacity to make long-lasting change where they live 5/5