The Government has announced today (Wednesday 27 October 2021) that both Ramsgate and Margate have been successful in their bids to the Levelling Up Fund.
The council submitted two bids as part of the Levelling Up Fund:
- Package bid for Ramsgate – £19.8m funding ask
- Bid for Margate – £6.3m funding ask
Both bids have been awarded the full funding amount.
Cllr Ash Ashbee, Leader of Thanet District Council said: “This is absolutely fantastic news for the district. Having not one, but both of our funds approved by the Government is the best outcome we could have hoped for. Both of these bids will make a huge difference to the communities, businesses and stakeholders in the district, helping to boost Thanet’s economy and provide more jobs and training opportunities for as many people as possible. I am delighted with this result, which had the full backing from both our local MPs, Craig Mackinlay and Sir Roger Gale. I want to thank everyone involved in preparing and submitting these bids for their hard work and valuable contribution, which will have a substantial impact on Thanet’s future.”
EKC Group and the Margate School partnered with Thanet District Council on the MargateDigital project.
Graham Razey, Chief Executive Officer of EKC Group, said: “This funding will help bring EKC MargateDigital to life, helping to grow new high skills, high wage jobs across Thanet and the wider East Kent area. It’s a really exciting prospect which will bring education, business and those looking to train and develop together, ensuring that the right skills are being developed in this growing area of our economy. Now that we have the funding in place, we’re looking forward to getting on with the business of developing and delivering this new provision for the Thanet community we proudly serve.”
The levelling up funding is prioritised based on level of need and Thanet was identified as a Category 1 place.
As there are two parliamentary constituency areas in Thanet, the council was able to put forward two bids that were backed by the local MP’s.