The leader of one of the largest councils in Wales has called for an “all guns blazing” approach to investing EU funds before the UK leaves the EU.
The calls have prompted derision from Vote Leave campaigner – Andrew RT Davies – who said that the focus should be on outcomes, not spending money for the sake of it.
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies, said:
“This arrogant attitude to public money is part of the reason why so many of the communities in receipt of structural funds voted to leave the EU last month.
“The focus should be on outcomes and finding the right projects, not accelerating the rate of spending. That’s why so much EU money is wasted by this Welsh Labour Government.
“Having campaigned for a Vote to Leave I will fight tooth and nail to deliver Wales’ share of the Brexit dividend, but the short term priority should be ensuring that this money is put to good use and finding the right schemes – not splashing the cash for the sake of it.
“Qualification for structural funding is not a badge of honour, it’s a reflection of the relative poverty of those in areas who meet the criteria, and after three successive rounds of funding that money has clearly not been put to good use.”
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