Levelling Up minister Dehenna Davison says that the Government's funding programme will boost Cornwall. The Minister was in Cornwall this week to announce new funding for schemes in the Duchy.

Ms. Davison visited the Hall for Cornwall which is getting £282,240 from the Shared Prosperity Fund which will extend its community club which aims to help more people to be able to go to the theatre.

She also visited Newquay where the Mid Cornwall Metro line, which will provide a direct link to Falmouth, was recently granted £ 50 million from the Levelling Up fund.

The minister said she believed that the Government funding would help to level up Cornwall: "I think there is a whole package of funding and activities that the Government is putting in place which will really help Cornwall. There is the Town Deal funding, Levelling Up funding, all these will help.

"The Mid Cornwall Metro project is a really important scheme for Cornwall for improving transport connectivity. In terms of town centre regeneration we have been wandering around Truro to see some of the proposals that are in the town deal programme.

"It is going to make a huge difference for people to have pride in the place they call home and also helping with high street regeneration. It is an exciting package."

We asked Ms Davison whether this was the right focus for Government funding considering the housing crisis in Cornwall which was probably at the forefront of many people's minds rather than town centre improvements.

She said: "Levelling up as a concept is about making sure that no matter where you are in the country you will have the same opportunities as anywhere else – health and transport are all elements which form part of this."

The minister said that the funding for capital projects being granted by the Government was "really important" and said that one of the key areas where people "feel behind" is in town centres.

She highlighted that under the proposed Cornwall Devolution Deal there was funding being made available for affordable housing – £8.7m for the development of brownfield sites and another £7m for housing schemes.

Ms Davison said: "One of the most exciting aspects of good progress on housing is the new powers around second homes in the devolution deal which will help Cornwall." The deal only mentions the Government plans to allow local councils to introduce a 100% premium in council tax on second homes which is part of legislation currently going through Parliament and is not subject to the devolution deal being approved.

The Cornwall Devolution Deal has been criticised by some for not providing "true devolution" and that the £360m over 30 years for an investment fund is not enough to help Cornwall. Public consultation is currently taking place about the deal which also requires a directly elected Mayor for Cornwall.

Asked about this Ms Davison said that she felt there were clear benefits for Cornwall with the proposed deal. She said that it was a first step towards further devolution and investment from the Government.

She added that a Mayor for Cornwall would be a "figurehead" for the Duchy citing the work that Metro mayors Andy Burnham, Andy Street and Ben Houchen have done for their respective regions.

Ms Davison said that mayors were recognised internationally and that this could help to unlock additional investment for Cornwall.