Councils have expressed concerns about the lack of local political influence as the Government belatedly approved local areas' £2.6bn UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) plans.

Environment and economy spokesperson for the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Gail Macgregor, told The MJ it was ‘vital that we have UK-wide political oversight of the fund which involves local government from across the UK, as we want to ensure that the future of the fund is shaped by the real-life experience of local authorities in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK'.