A survey has revealed that people in Havering feel their area has “generally declined” since the Levelling Up scheme began.

It comes after a YouGov survey found that out of 361 local authorities in the UK, people in only four areas feel they have improved.

The £4.8 billion fund is designed to improve town centre and high street regeneration, transport projects, and cultural and heritage assets.

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Havering had the second strongest sense of decline in England, Scotland and Wales at 48%.

Just 12% of people said they believed the borough had "generally improved", while 33% said the area had "generally stayed much the same".

London was a city of extremes according to the survey, as the only places nationwide where the “generally improved” option came out on top in the poll were Hackney, Islington, Southwark, and Tower Hamlets.

People most commonly chose the “generally stayed much the same” option in 215 local authority areas, and the “generally declined” option in 142 councils.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently defended the way Levelling-up funding had been allocated.

He said: “If you look at how we are spending this money, it is disproportionately benefiting people in the North East, the North West, and that’s great.”

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