Concern as £700m West Midlands funding from EU caught in red tape
Hundreds of millions of pounds promised to the West Midlands by the European Union will not be received by the end of the year, Labour MEPs have said.
European funding worth almost £719 million is being 'blocked' because the government has 'declined' to devolve powers to Local Enterprise Partnerships - set up by business and council leaders to attract investment and drive growth.
Neena Gill, Labour MEP for the West Midlands said: "My goal is to bring jobs and economic growth to the West Midlands. We want smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.
"Over £700 million of European Structural Investment Funds will help deliver that.
"But, progress is being blocked by this Tory led national government.
"It's not just future ESIF projects. The continuation of current ventures is potentially under threat."
Fellow MEP Siôn Simon added: "We have written to communities secretary Eric Pickles urging the government to act fast to prevent a delay. Until there is an agreement, there is a risk projects in the Black Country LEP will see a gap in their funding.
"In the past there was a tried and tested system for managing these funds. The government decided to change that system so it needs to take responsibility for ironing out these problems to ensure money intended for the West Midlands is not delayed.
"Labour MEPs' concerns about delays to these important funding programmes have already been raised with the European Commission.
"We need the government to show it is taking responsibility for the problems caused by its decision to reorganise the way money in the West Midlands is used."
