Councils across England are set to receive a share of £56.5 million to help them deal with Brexit.

The announcement came in a written statement from James Brokenshire, the Secretary of State for Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

He said: “Local government will play a critical role in making a success of Brexit at the local level.

"My department is committed to ensuring councils have the support and the funding they need to prepare for an orderly exit from the EU and do appropriate contingency planning.”

Barrow Council will receive £35,000 over a two year period in order to ease the impacts of Brexit.

Despite this new funding being put in place, leader of Barrow Borough Council, councillor Dave Pidduck thinks the funding will only allow limited extra support to be given.

He said: “Whilst £35,000 sounds like a lot of money for an individual, to a council there are limits to what we can do with this amount.

“I think given the amount of money we have been offered our role during the Brexit process will be an advisory one.

“The time frame we are set to receive the funds really does focus the way we can spend it in to an advisory capacity.”

“So whilst I will say thank you for the extra funding, we will have to sit down and see how this money can be spent most effectively .”

Asked how much would be needed to offer more extensive support, Cllr Pidduck didn’t give an exact amount. He said: “More money could enable us to create wider partnerships and bring in specialists to offer more efficient support.

“£35,000 will only allow limited advisory services and if the government wanted us to expand on this work then that would inevitably cost more money.”

The UK is currently scheduled to leave the European Union on March 29, regardless of whether there is a deal with the EU or not.

Prime Minister Theresa May’s deal was rejected by MPs on January 15 in a historic loss which saw 432 MPs vote against the deal and 202 vote in favour.