The Live Wire



Press Release

LGA closes on win over EU billions

6 October 2011

The Local Government Association today confirmed that its efforts to protect multi-billion pounds of EU structural funding has been a success. The EU has said that billions will be directly available to local areas from 2014-2020.

The current 7 year funding deal is worth well over £8 billion. In order to secure this funding for local communities, the LGA has been working closely with EU institutions, conducting surveys, providing evidence, and demonstrating how councils use this funding to turn lives and places around.

Furthermore, behind the scenes, the organisation has lobbied hard alongside other EU local government organisations to secure the funding. The funds had previously been spent by the now defunct Regional Development Agencies, and therefore some concerns remain that the Government will hold onto the funding, and not divert it down to local areas. As a result, the EU plans will now be subject to negotiations between MEPs, local authorities and the Government. The LGA believes that it is vital these funds are managed and spent at a local level.

Responding to the announcement, Sir Merrick Cockell, LGA Chairman, said:

“The LGA are pleased that local communities have this opportunity to utilise billions of pounds worth of EU funding. There had been concerns the money would be diverted elsewhere, so I am delighted our efforts at the EU have paid off and we will be pushing to ensure that councils can take up this opportunity. This is a timely boost for local government, the most efficient part of the public sector”.



Press releases, papers and documents published on this page are the intellectual property of an organisation unrelated to Central Lobby. We promote their parliamentary and political campaigning activities as they are subscribers to the Central Lobby service.

As such, Central Lobby does not edit, endorse, or attempt to balance the opinions expressed on this page. The content of press releases and other such types of content are the responsibility of the originating organisation.

Local Government Association

Local Government Association

More from Dods

© Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd