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| Regions to get £6bn in government funding | Regions to get £6bn in government funding |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The government has announced £6bn of funding for local governments designed to boost local economies. | |
| The money will go towards supporting local businesses, creating jobs, building new houses and local infrastructure improvements. | The money will go towards supporting local businesses, creating jobs, building new houses and local infrastructure improvements. |
| Decisions on where to spend the money will be made by local authorities and businesses. | Decisions on where to spend the money will be made by local authorities and businesses. |
| The £6bn is the first instalment of £12bn the coalition is investing in a series of local "Growth Deals". | The £6bn is the first instalment of £12bn the coalition is investing in a series of local "Growth Deals". |
| Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Growth Deals are a crucial part of our long-term plan to secure Britain's future. | Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Growth Deals are a crucial part of our long-term plan to secure Britain's future. |
| "For too long our economy has been too London-focused and too centralised. Growth Deals will help change all that. They are about firing up our great cities, towns and counties so they can become powerhouses. | "For too long our economy has been too London-focused and too centralised. Growth Deals will help change all that. They are about firing up our great cities, towns and counties so they can become powerhouses. |
| "By trusting local people, backing business and investing in infrastructure, skills and housing, we can create thousands of new jobs." | "By trusting local people, backing business and investing in infrastructure, skills and housing, we can create thousands of new jobs." |
| The government says it expects the investment to lead to work on more than 150 roads, 150 housing developments and 20 rail stations, as well as kick-starting super-fast broadband networks. | The government says it expects the investment to lead to work on more than 150 roads, 150 housing developments and 20 rail stations, as well as kick-starting super-fast broadband networks. |
| 'The end' | 'The end' |
| The decision to invest directly in local economies follows a report by former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine in 2012 calling for a greater devolution of power from London to the English regions. | The decision to invest directly in local economies follows a report by former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine in 2012 calling for a greater devolution of power from London to the English regions. |
| The report recommended moving £49bn from central government to regional bodies to help local businesses. | The report recommended moving £49bn from central government to regional bodies to help local businesses. |
| Alex Thomson, chief executive of the Localis think tank, told the BBC that the funding marked "the beginning of the end of the culture of Whitehall knows best". | Alex Thomson, chief executive of the Localis think tank, told the BBC that the funding marked "the beginning of the end of the culture of Whitehall knows best". |
| He said Local Enterprise Partnerships, comprising local authorities and businesses, now had to show they could provide good value for money in order to secure additional funding in the future. | He said Local Enterprise Partnerships, comprising local authorities and businesses, now had to show they could provide good value for money in order to secure additional funding in the future. |
| The projects earmarked for investment include £18m to revamp the Metrolink transport system in Manchester, which will include 12 new trams, revamped stations and improved bus services. This is part of a wider £50m transport package across Greater Manchester. | The projects earmarked for investment include £18m to revamp the Metrolink transport system in Manchester, which will include 12 new trams, revamped stations and improved bus services. This is part of a wider £50m transport package across Greater Manchester. |
| They also include £23m for a new road tunnel linking Swindon to nearby Wichelstowe. | They also include £23m for a new road tunnel linking Swindon to nearby Wichelstowe. |