‘Grimsby is on the up’ – Michael Gove visits town ahead of £60m Levelling Up decision

The success of bids for £60million to help transform Grimsby and Cleethorpes will be known by the autumn, Levelling up Secretary, Michael Gove said on a visit to the town today.

He toured Grimsby and met industry and North East Lincolnshire Council leaders at the Town Hall. The local authority is finalising bids of £20million each for Cleethorpes and Grimsby and a further £20million bid for a transportation hub linking Grimsby Railway Station with a new bus station on Garden Street, Grimsby.

“We want to do everything possible to make sure that bids succeed and I have been talking to Lia Nici (Grimsby MP) about some of the pointers that we can give about how success can be optimised,” said Mr Gove. He was surrounded by a team of Westminster officials who were busy taking details of the projects for which the Levelling Up Fund money could be used.

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They also met with industry leaders representing the seafood manufacturing and renewables sector. Mr Gove added: “Lia is a friend and I want to work with her and Philip Jackson (Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council) to build on the work that has already been done to improve the connectivity and improve the attractiveness of Grimsby.”

He said the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak will make the final decision on the bids by the autumn. Mr Gove said: “One of the reasons I am here is to deepen my understanding of Grimsby and to make sure I can act as an effective advocate for North East Lincolnshire and across Government.”

Secretary of State for Levelling Up, housing and communities, Michael Gove, right is welcomed to St John and St Stephen Church by Canon John Ellis, left with members of East Marsh United (Image: grimsby Live)

He said he had seen the plans for NELC to buy Freshney Place shopping centre as part of the transformation of Grimsby Town Centre. Mr Gove said: “Grimsby’s seafood industry is a strength on which to build and I have been talking to some of the big industry players about how we can do more in the future. As well as that there is the great future for Grimsby and the wider Humber region as the core of our drive towards renewable energy.”

The Secretary for Levelling Up also met with education leaders in order to provide further support for training for the “high-skilled jobs of the future.”

“Grimsby has faced some particular challenges, but I think it is on the up. I met with East Marsh United to look at the work they are undertaking and again, everyone knows it is a community which has had some real challenges and I got a real sense of things being on the up. We want to make sure we back those people who are making positive change,” he added.

Earlier Mr Gove met with chairman of Grimsby Town FC, Jason Stockwood who accompanied him on a tour of St John and St Stephen Church. Mr Gove said: “Grimsby is a Premier League place . It may be another four or five years before Grimsby Town are in the premier league.”

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After a tour of Guildford Street and Rutland Street, Mr Gove said they were fine examples of people making changes. He said there were too many homes in the hands of absentee or neglectful landlords.

Canon John Ellis welcomed Mr Gove to St John and St Stephen and told of the £250,000 plans to create a new “IntoUniversity” hub next to the Shalom to give disadvantaged children support in getting into higher education. The Shalom centre will mark its 50th anniversary with a Thanksgiving Service on September 29, on the exact date it opened in 1972. Work on an extension and refit, funded by a £125,000 grant from Sport England, will begin later this summer.

Canon Ellis said: “Michael Gove got the message about the problems in the community and all the support networks that were in place but have reduced or were taken away. If you are an educated person and troubles hit you there is support. But for those suffering an illness, loss of a job or family problems, they can go into a nose dive.

“People in Westminster don’t appreciate the desperate need for support of citizens, because they have never really experienced it. It is nice to someone like Michael Gove come to our community and listen.”

Canon John Ellis at the Shalom Youth Centre on East Marsh, Grimsby (Image: GrimsbyLive/Donna Clifford)

Leader of North East Lincolnshire, Councillor Philip Jackson said: “In recent months key conversations have taken place with Government on how we can reshape Grimsby, especially its core urban area. Today’s visit, which included key meetings and tours, was a part of that on-going work – to engage as much as possible with Central Government on just what could be achieved here if we can take advantage of the national Levelling Up agenda.

“Grimsby and the wider North East Lincolnshire area has been handed a unique opportunity to re-invent itself. The burgeoning off-shore and renewables sector sees major and emerging sector giants basing themselves here.

“To take advantage of this, whilst continuing to enjoy a successful food processing offer, we must provide new and existing residents with the skills, the ambition, and the infrastructure to make the most of these opportunities. The development of good quality housing, the re-invention of our town centre and ensuring our residents realise the benefit of skills and training are all vital components of making this happen.

“This can be achieved, and we are determined to do all we can to ensure we take advantage of the opportunities that the Levelling Up agenda presents to us here in North East Lincolnshire to ensure success. As a result, our relationship with those in Central Government responsible for Levelling Up will continue in the coming weeks, following today’s successful visit and talks.”

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