Criticism has been aimed at the UK Government after today’s annoucment that Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire will be amongst eleven Welsh local authorities that will not receive any money under under its ‘Levelling Up’ fund.

A total of eleven projects in Wales have been allocated around £208 million from round two of the Levelling Up Fund.

The UK Government has claimed that these projects will create jobs, drive economic growth, help restore people’s pride in the places where they live and spread opportunity more equally.

However, not a penny of the funding has been allocated to West Wales.

This comes despite announcements that wealthier areas, including Rishi Sunak’s constituency of Richmond in Yorkshire, will receive funding. 

Cefin Campbell, Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd for Mid & West Wales, has criticised the UK Government’s methodology for allocating funding, stating “Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, Powys and Carmarthenshire are amongst the eleven Welsh local authorities that will not receive a single penny from today’s ‘Levelling Up’ round.   

“This is despite the real need for ‘levelling up’ in these communities across mid and west Wales – with rural poverty, a housing crisis and poor infrastructure continuing to hamper economic growth and opportunities.   

“The Tories promised that Brexit would leave Wales no worse off, and that European funding would be replaced, pound-for-pound. 

“This promise has rung disgracefully hollow, with Wales now looking at a funding shortfall of £1.1bn compared with previous EU schemes.    

“The way in which the 'Levelling Up' Fund has been allocated appears to reflect cynical political decision-making rather than any real assessment of Wales' material need”  

Ben Lake MP, Plaid Cymru Treasury spokesperson added: “Between 2009-2020 local authority spending per head in Wales fell by 9.4%. The idea that we should now be grateful for the privilege of competing over a small pot of money is frankly insulting.

“The arbitrary and ad-hoc way in which Westminster is allocating this funding is not conducive to the kind of cohesive long-term economic planning needed to break the poverty cycle.  

“From the outset, Plaid Cymru have called for funding to be allocated according to need. If the UK Government want to redeem any credibility on ‘levelling up’, they should revise their criteria so that Wales receives funding according to our relative need.”  

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.

Labour Senedd Member for Mid and West Wales, Eluned Morgan described the decision as ‘an insult’.

“The fact that not a single penny has been allocated to support so called ‘levelling up’ this time round in Pembrokeshire is an insult,” she said.

“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.

“Today’s 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. Today’s news does not come close to meeting the funding promised by UK Ministers in 2019.

“These delays have also loaded extra pressure onto local authorities as well as driving up costs during a period of soaring inflation. This will have consequences on delivery, value for money and economic impact.

“We will continue to work with local government and partners to maximise the funds that are available.

“Some of the projects supported would have likely won Welsh Government funding, and we will work to ensure positive outcomes where possible, while making the strong case for the funds promised to the people of Wales.”