Carmarthenshire not receiving any levelling-up funding in the latest round of awards has been called “an insult” by Senedd Member Eluned Morgan.

The Senedd Member for Mid and West Wales made her comments after the United Kingdom government announced £2.1 billion in funding for communities across the UK, with not a penny allocated to west Wales.

The funding scheme had been touted by the Conservatives UK government as a replacement for lost EU-funding which hugely benefitted communities in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.

Some of the last remaining EU funding is being used to complete the A40 Redstone Cross to Llanddewi Velfrey road scheme.

Eluned Morgan MS said: “The fact that not a single penny has been allocated to support so called ‘levelling-up’ this time round in Carmarthenshire is an insult.

“Throughout the Brexit debate and after, we were repeatedly told that west Wales would not lose out financially from our exit from the European Union. In reality, Wales has lost more than £1 billion in funding.

“[The] announcement can only mean that either our Tory MPs have given up making the case for the post-Brexit funding shortfall or the Tories have written off holding these seats at the next election. Pembrokeshire deserves better.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Wales now has less say over less money, and every decision on levelling-up funding for local projects has been taken in Whitehall.

“The delayed, chaotic process is now costing jobs and other much needed projects are being missed as a result of the lost funds. [The] news does not come close to meeting the funding promised by UK Ministers in 2019."

Nationally, Michael Gove MP has defended the allocation of a £2 billion levelling-up fund, saying it is “simply untrue” that the cash is mainly being handed to the relatively affluent South East.

The Levelling-Up Secretary insisted the latest round of investment is “specifically tilted towards the North, the Midlands, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland”.

It follows criticism that the funding for more than 100 projects across the UK is being directed at areas not considered deprived, including Rishi Sunak’s own Richmond constituency.

Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MP Simon Hart, the former Secretary of State for Wales said: "I'm delighted that £208 million has been awarded to projects across Wales, this will regenerate town centres, improve transport and provide education possibilities, amongst other things.

"I look forward to following the progress of these projects which will create jobs and help to grow the economy."

 

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