9 Acknowledged

Publish guidance on providing timely, detailed, and consistent feedback for all funding bids.

Recommendation
We recommend that the DLUHC provides better guidance on how it will provide feedback on bids. The guidance must set out that feedback is timely, detailed, and consistent. This is especially important for levelling up funds as the quality of DLUHC’s feedback can hinder future applications which can be to the detriment of local communities. Feedback must also be made publicly available, where possible, so that communities can understand why bids are accepted or rejected. This new guidance should be widely disseminated and embedded in departmental practice so that in future those who have been unsuccessful in bidding are able to derive satisfactory material from what has otherwise been a dispiriting process.
Government Response Summary
The government states it is reflecting on lessons learned from past Levelling Up Fund rounds regarding feedback and will apply these lessons to future feedback approaches, but does not commit to specific guidance changes or public feedback.
Paragraph Reference
31
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government Acknowledged
The department is reflecting on lessons it has learnt from Levelling Up Fund rounds one and two including on feedback and will apply those lessons in any future approach to feedback.
Addressee Bodies
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Timeline
Recommendation age 3.0 yrs
Report published 26 May 2023