TORRIDGE will have to wait until March before the formal process of how to spend its share of £400 million of Levelling Up funding begins.

The money for 20 deprived communities was announced in this year’s spring budget and has been described as a  “once in a lifetime” opportunity to identify ways of growing the local economy and priorities for regeneration.

But it will be a whole year between the announcement and the formal process beginning. Leader of Torridge District Council Cllr Ken James (Ind, Milton and Tamarside) said there was no opportunity to move it forward            .

He told members of the full council that there was a significant amount of work that needed to be done over the next few months by officers to put together information and data which would create a “place story” for Torridge.

“The council needs to focus on this as well as delivering our other major projects, operational services and the Appledore Innovation Centre,” he said. “Officers have an enormous amount of work to do and we need to consider that as members about how we go forward, to lose this amount of money would be criminal if our officers are tied up with other stuff. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Cllr James said he had a “warm and receptive” first meeting with levelling up minister Jacob Young and Torridge MP Sir Geoffrey Cox.

He said there would be a “deep dive” into Torridge District Council to find out the area’s strength, challenges and vision.

Officers will work alongside representatives from education , business and the agricultural sector alongside government ministers.

“It’s important to stress that this is not just a wishlist, we must have an end vision which will make Torridge a great place to live, work and visit.”

He said everything would be data led with evidence of improvements. Criteria included promoting health and life expectancy, raising achievement in NVQ Level 3 and improving pay and working hours.”

Cllr James Craigie (Ind, Bideford East) asked if £15,000 could be ringfenced to promote heritage tourism and create a district wide heritage development trust business plan with the focus on the River Torridge.

In a motion to council he called on members “to support the consortium of heritage charities and voluntary bodies working on ‘Bideford Heritage Harbour’ designation for the tidal zone of the Torridge adding significantly to crucial levelling up objectives.”

Cllr James said no money could be “locked up” at this time until more details of the levelling up fund cash were known.

“I support the harbour board but we cannot lock up any of the levelling up funds as we don’t know if this project would qualify and it might be putting other projects that do at risk.”

Torridge MP Sir Geoffrey Cox said after the announcement of the money to Torridge in March: “This represents an unprecedented transformative opportunity for Torridge and I am delighted that the representations I have made to the Secretary of State and the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the vital importance of the levelling up programme to Torridge have been listened to.

“This comes on top of the successful £15.6-million levelling up bid announced in January for the Maritime Innovation Centre in Appledore.”