UK Government commits £15m to Welsh projects
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The UK Government has confirmed £15 million of funding for two culture projects in Wales.
£10 million has been allocated to Venue Cymru in Conwy, which will be spent on refurbishing the building, along with the controversial plans to close Llandudno Library and move it to Venue Cymru, along with the Tourist Information Centre.
The Newport Transporter Bridge will receive £5 million to pay for repair and maintenance works to the historic visitor attraction.
Levelling up
Both projects were originally announced but unfunded as part of the Levelling Up culture and capital funding announced by the previous Conservative government in its Spring Budget in 2024.
Last month a row broke out following concerns that funding for Venue Cymru had been pulled.
This followed the announcement at the Autumn Budget that the government was minded to withdraw funding for some of the projects announced by the previous Conservative administration due “the financial inheritance” this government was left with, and the unfunded nature of the projects.
Since then, a consultation was carried out with the various projects set to receive backing to understand the financial, strategic and community impacts of withdrawing support.
Following the consultation, 10 projects across the UK were prioritised to receive government money.
Growth
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “Through investing in these critical cultural projects we can empower both local leaders and people to really tap into their potential and celebrate everything their home town has to offer. This means more tourism, more growth and more money in people’s pockets.”
Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens added: “Venue Cymru and the Newport Transporter Bridge are iconic landmarks in their local communities, and I am delighted that this UK Government funding will be used to boost Wales’ already world-leading tourism and culture sectors.
“Our investment in these two fantastic projects is an example of how our Plan for Change will lead to a decade of national renewal for people the length and breadth of Wales. This is a UK Government that is delivering regeneration and economic growth for every community.”
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Pocket change. Didn’t replace our EU money. Unionism fails and this adds to the evidence.
Why isn’t the Welsh Government funding these projects they have ample budget funding for these. There are definitely more important things to either fund/pay for the Welsh people need than these . Is it the case the mismanagement of the Welsh government that they need to go cap in hand to central government.
These were crumbs promised by the blue team as part of their levelling up initiative where they selected projects that were going to close the GDP per capita gap.
Not even peanuts but the dust at the bottom of the packet.
The plans for Venue Cymru sound similar to Storyhouse in Chester (the difference being that at least the latter is in the city centre, whereas the former is a bit out of town). Storyhouse is decent as an all-purpose cultural-venue-cum-restaurant, but it doesn’t really work as a library: the books are crammed in haphazardly all over the building, and there’s a shortage of quiet spaces to sit and read.
Still a tiny fraction of the amount that the crown estates steal from us.
Last in line for the crumbs being dished out by wastemonster when we should be first in line to break away from the joke that is the UK.
It’s at times like this I wish I still had a forelock and a flat cap to hold at waist level.
In 2000s Network Rail had £20m contracts for £1 as trialled new technology and firms did loss-leaders for global first mover advantage. Tesla wants autonomous lorries into London. Senedd should use links to Tata for Tata to trial autonomous lorries in http://www.gcre.wales site, second trial on roads to Holyhead and then full UK rollout with only Tata lorries appovrd for two years. Then Senedd / UK government gets a share of profits.
Less than a pint each.
In a two gun broadside Nelson would have given that as a straddle…