Communities across Kent are set to benefit from a share of more than £122 million in government cash after successful bids for 'levelling up' funding were announced late last night.

Reporter Rhys Griffiths looks at where the money is coming from, who will be receiving it and which areas missed out...

There will be both joy and sorrow across the land today after the government announced the recipients of £2.1 billion in funding, aimed at boosting towns and cities through major transport and regeneration schemes.

Released under the guise of 'levelling up', the money will help local authorities across the UK to invest in projects they believe will create jobs and grow local economies.

With billions on offer and a nationwide scope, the initiative has thrown up both winner and losers - here in Kent as elsewhere. Let's delve into the details and examine what has been announced.

Q: I've heard of 'levelling up' before - but what's it really all about?

A: That's a very good question, and one that even the ruling Conservative government has struggled to answer as it spent 2022 cycling through a series of Prime Ministers.

The concept of levelling up was a central pillar of the manifesto which saw Boris Johnson secure the Tories' biggest Commons majority for a generation in 2019.

Johnson described the crusade to improve the lot of so-called 'left behind' towns and cities the "defining mission" of what turned out to be a rather short-lived stint in Downing Street.

But it was not until last year, with his administration already fatally wounded by Partygate and other scandals, that flesh was put on the bones.

In February 2022 the policy was unveiled, and since then there have been opportunities for local authorities to bid for cash for their pet projects.

Q: So where will the money go in Kent?

Four bids from the county have been successful in round two of the bidding process - with a total of £122.7 million being awarded to the county from the pot of £2.1 billion.

There are two schemes in Dover which have been approved.

£45 million will be spent on improvements at the Port of Dover to keep the border flowing, and £18.1 million will fund the 'Dover Beacon' regeneration of the area around Bench Street.

The Isle of Sheppey will receive £20 million to help transform Sheerness town centre by providing improvements such as an expanded further education college, leisure facilities and space for small businesses.

A project to reopen the castle in Canterbury will receive £19.9 million.

While in Folkestone £19.7 million will be put towards the redevelopment of Bouverie Square, the relocation of the bus station and other town centre improvements.

Q: £45 million for the Port of Dover is a big chunk - why is so much being spent there?

Such is the importance of the ferry link from Dover to France that delays there soon spill over onto the roads of Kent, leading to all kinds of knock-on issues for people in coastal communities and beyond.

This was particularly evident last summer, when increased border checks at the port and Eurotunnel, as a result of our decision to leave the European Union, contributed to traffic gridlock on the county's road network.

The situation was made worse by issues with the deployment of French border officers, which led to a number of passport booths not being manned.

Previously, Dover Harbour Board had applied for £33 million from the Port Infrastructure Fund to pay for improvements to the lay-out of the border controls.

This was rejected in 2020, much to the disappointment of port bosses, but the success of this bid will now see the work carried out.

Much focus on issues caused by increased border friction since Brexit has been on the queues themselves, but industry insiders hope this cash will allow them to address the cause rather than the symptoms.

The £45 million project will focus on outbound traffic leaving the UK, and will include a change in the sequence of border controls, a change in the sequence of outbound controls, an increase in pre-check-in capacity, an increase in the number of border control points and a new dock exit route.

Toby Howe heads up the Kent Resilience Forum, which handles issues such as disruption caused by delays at the ports, and he says he is glad the bid has been successful.

He said: "It's something Kent County Council has been supporting the Port of Dover on so it will enable them [Port of Dover] to rearrange within the port.

"At the moment, it's strange, when you head in you have to go into France first through French customs then to get your booking ticket and then you leave England.

"It's a really cack-handed system and it's those French booths at the beginning that are really a pinch point.

"The Port of Dover are looking to rearrange the layout which will allow more traffic to get into the port quicker. That's not going to happen overnight but it's a real relief we've got that grant."

'The queue-busting investment at the Port of Dover will help to keep Dover clear and see port traffic run more smoothly...'

Dover's MP, Conservative Natalie Elphicke, described the town's two successful levelling up bids as a "fantastic win".

"The exciting new creative and digital campus will create new jobs and skills opportunities in our area," she said.

"The queue-busting investment at the Port of Dover will help to keep Dover clear and see port traffic run more smoothly."

However, Mike Tapp, Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for Dover, accused the Tories of "sticking plaster politics" in trying to fix issues he says they have created.

He said: "It's good to see the levelling up fund has allocated some much-needed funding for Dover, I was excited at this news, with high hopes.

"These hopes were quickly dashed when I learnt that £45 million will be spend on the roads linked to the port, in a cynical attempt to fix the Conservatives failures to make a smooth transition to new freight transportation rules.

"All this money does is plug some of the gap in the Conservative county councils finances, after over a decade of mismanagement and underfunding."

Doug Bannister, CEO at the Port of Dover, said: "This is a great day for the port and for Dover. I am incredibly grateful to Kent County Council for their invaluable support on this and to Natalie Elphicke for championing our cause on securing such significant funding to help deliver our important Outbound Controls Project."

Q: The cash for Dover isn't just for the port - what else is being paid for?

Dover District Council (DDC) has been awarded £18.1 million to help fund a major regeneration of the area around Bench Street in the town centre.

The Dover Beacon project will include an educational campus for the creative and digital industries, facilities for small and medium-sized business and green space alongside the River Dour.

DDC has been acquiring the freehold of buildings in the area, which lies between the Market Square and the seafront, in anticipation of securing the levelling-up cash to see the scheme through.

KentOnline previously revealed the plans include the demoliton of The Funky Monkey nightclub and the "Banksy building" where the famous artist painted a huge EU flag in the wake of Brexit.

Cllr Trevor Bartlett, leader of the council, said: "This is tremendous news for Dover and a recognition from the government of the need to level up Dover as the UK's gateway town.

"Today’s announcement sees the highest level of funding in the country, with the two projects delivering a combined investment of over £63 million in the future of Dover town centre and the Port of Dover."

Q: Well that's Dover taken care of - what about neighbouring Folkestone?

With funding now in place, Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) looks set to press ahead with ambitious plans to close the existing Folkestone bus station and transform the site in Bouverie Square into a green public space.

This is just one part of a wider scheme to improve the town centre and make it more attractive to visitors, especially those arriving via Folkestone Central railway station.

Council chiefs are targeting their efforts on the top end of the town, between the Central station and Sandgate Road, which is the first taste visitors have of the town when arriving by train.

Buses would in future pick up and drop off on Middelburg Square alongside the Bouverie Place shopping centre.

Other parts of the plan focus on the redevelopment of Folca, the council-owned building which was previously home to Debenhams, and the rejuvenation of the key shopping precincts on Sandgate Road and Guildhall Street.

Reacting to the bid's success, FHDC leader Cllr David Monk said: "I am delighted that the Folkestone and Hythe bid has been approved for funding.

"We have an exciting and ambitious scheme to bring forward and I am over the moon that this has been acknowledged by central government.

"Our plan - A Brighter Future - will breathe new life into Folkestone and radically improve the complicated road network, making it much easier for residents and visitors to access the town centre.

"We are ready to go and we look forward to getting on with this project."

Making a better first impression on visitors disembarking from trains is set to be remedied by a revamp of Cheriton Road, with increased greenery and better signs to point tourists in the right direction.

Once people arriving into the town centre by foot and bicycle reach Middelburg Square there will be amendments made to the roads to reduce the speed of vehicles passing around the former Saga building and public car park

The council will have to move quickly to deliver the improvement with its partners, including Stagecoach, Kent Highways and Kent County Council, as the cash has to be spent by the end of March 2025.

Q: Coastal communities seem to be receiving the lion's share of the cash for Kent. How will it be spent in Sheerness?

Swale Borough Council (SBC) has been awarded £20 million to help it fund improvements to health, education, leisure and employment opportunities as part of its Sheerness Revival project.

The scheme will expand the existing health centre to provide more services from the Healthy Living Centre, while Sheppey College will offer new courses to give young people aged 14-18 on the Island easier access to more training and education opportunities.

It is also hoped that the conversion of the Master’s House studios to creative workspace will help create and support local jobs.

There will also be new leisure activities such as soft play, adventure golf, a new cafe and an outdoor gym at Beachfields, giving both local people and visitors a greater choice of things to do in the town.

The funding will also deliver improvements to the area from the railway station and around the leisure complex, better connecting the high street, station and seafront to encourage visitors to explore and enjoy more of the town.

Gordon Henderson, Conservative MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey, said: "I'm delighted to have supported this bid by Swale council, which will make a great difference to people in and around Sheerness.

"I have been lobbying the government hard since the bid was submitted, emphasising how much my constituency needs this added investment, so I am pleased, and grateful, ministers have listened to my pleas.

"This scheme shows that by working together, we can improve the health, education, and employment prospects for local people, in a meaningful way.

"I look forward to continuing to work together with Swale council to make this scheme a success, and to find ways we can build up on this to keep improving the Island for everyone."

Q: The final slice of the money is going to Canterbury - what will that be used for?

The Connected Canterbury: Unlocking The Tales Of England project will receive £19.9 million from the levelling-up fund to finance a number of works, including reopening Canterbury Castle to the public.

Work will also take place to protect the Poor Priests' Hospital in Stour Street, currently looked after by the Marlowe Trust, for future generations.

This will involve turning it into a creative learning centre and a free-to-enter heritage destination, with an event space and a riverside cafe.

The bus station and St George’s Lane will be improved to make what Canterbury City Council (CCC) describes as "a green entry point into the city", with better pedestrian routes and the introduction of more plants, tree and pollinators.

There will also be investment in the car parks at Castle Row, St Radigunds and Longport to introduce electric vehicle charging, docked cycle hire, more trees, better lighting and signs, and solar panels.

Council leader Ben Fitter-Harding told KentOnline he is "absolutely overjoyed" by the news of the successful outcome.

He said: "We can now begin the hard work of executing on our vision to deliver significant improvements to the city of Canterbury that will benefit residents, businesses and visitors alike, safeguarding our wonderful heritage and telling the Tales of England for decades to come.

"Our interventions at Canterbury Castle, the Westgate, the bus station, the city walls, Dane John Gardens, Marlowe Kit and our routes, parks and open spaces will leave a legacy for our children and our children’s children to enjoy and be inspired by.

"As chair of Canterbury's Tales of England board, which includes vital stakeholders from across the city, I will be working closely with them to ensure that this success is the beginning of a period of significant public and private investment to deliver the wider ambitions of the project.

"We'll start mobilising the teams immediately, I think the work has to be completed in 2025 so it's going to be full steam ahead."

Q: It's great news for the places that we successful - but no doubt many missed out?

As in the first round of bidding, this time a number of communities right across the UK were told their submission had been rejected.

The leader of Gravesham Borough Council, Cllr John Burden, warned that the future regeneration of Gravesend town centre has been put at risk after the local authority's second bid for £20 million was rejected.

If successful, the money would have been used to help fund the development St George's Square to create new community, retail and leisure spaces, a new civic centre, new theatre and new homes.

Cllr Burden said: "This is an extremely disappointing outcome and a blow to our ambitions to bring much needed regeneration and new life to Gravesend town centre.

"I am at a loss to understand the government's thinking here, especially when I look at the other areas of Kent that have been successful and the fact that for both funding rounds Gravesham was identified as a priority one area for levelling up, and yet here we are with nothing to show for it.

"When our first bid was unsuccessful, we were told we had missed out by the narrowest of margins.

"Huge amounts of work went into our second bid. Many local businesses wrote in support, and we had cross-party support within the council.

"They could all see the value of our bid and the desperate need for significant investment in Gravesend town centre."

"We remain committed to the St George's Square development as we know the economic and social benefits it will bring are vital for the town's future."

Elsewhere, although Canterbury City Council was successful in securing the cash for its Canterbury projects, it missed out on money for schemes devised for Herne Bay.

Responding to the failure of that second bid, Cllr Fitter-Harding said: "The bid process has resulted in comprehensive plans for how we can massively improve the Kings Hall and Bandstand for future generations, connecting them better to the town and making them places for visitors to enjoy and residents to learn valuable new skills.

"Whilst we weren't successful this time we await feedback from the government and I look forward to considering a round three levelling-up bid and exploring other funding sources.

"We're thrilled, of course, to have received £550,000 to help regenerate the Tivoli and Beach Street area and we're pressing on with that."

Tom Mellish, chairman of the Herne Bay Coastal Community Team, praised the work CC had put into the bid and expressed hope that transformative plans for the town could still be pushed through.

He said: "While we are pleased that Canterbury city has got funding to improve the castle and its other tourist attractions it does seem that yet again Herne Bay has lost out in its bid to bring about an economic change and a boost to tourism for the town.

"Herne Bay is a rapidly developing town and it needs everyone’s support in ensuring the economic and cultural development keeps pace with the demographic changes."

Medway also missed out on round two funding, having already successfully applied for levelling-up cash in the first round of bidding.

Council leader Cllr Alan Jarrett said: "Although we are disappointed that we have not secured round two levelling-up funding, we will continue to explore future funding opportunities for the exciting Open Lines Gillingham project and for two net zero carbon buildings as part of Innovation Park Medway.

"We previously received £14.4 million from round one of the government's levelling-up fund for three projects - The Docking Station, The Brook Theatre and The Fitted Rigging House – so we were mindful that securing funding from round two would be more challenging.

"Thank you to everyone in the community who supported our bids.

"We will continue working with our partners to explore opportunities to further Medway's ambitions, as well as support the establishment of Chatham as Medway's city centre and its position as a creative hub."

Q: Some people think levelling-up cash should be going to poorer areas outside the south east - what does the government have to say about that?

Michael Gove, the minister in charge of the scheme, has defended its multi-million pound investment in Kent by saying there are areas of deprivation in the county that needed investment.

He was challenged about comments Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made at a hustings in Tunbridge Wells when campaigning to become party leader and PM last summer.

At the meeting, Mr Sunak said as Chancellor he had begun to change the funding formula to stop money being "shovelled up north", so areas like Kent did not lose out.

"There are areas of deprivation in the south east particularly along the Kent coast that we do need to invest in," Mr Gove said.

"Within the south east, it is the case that there are communities in Kent like Sheerness, Margate and Ramsgate and around Dover and Folkestone that do need a degree of investment.

"If you look at the amount of money allocated per person, it is the case that the north east and north west which do best of all."

Additional reporting by Paul Francis