Skip to main content

Convergence funding

There has been a little niggle at the back of my mind about all the latest Convergence funding, which is being sprayed around like confetti at the moment by the Welsh Assembly Government, possibly because it is a year and a half behind schedule.

What is going on in the rest of Wales that does not qualify for this funding?

Certainly, the GVA/head in Swansea (which qualifies for EU funds) is higher than that of Powys (which does not).

In addition, Flintshire and Wrexham - which does not qualify -has seen one of the largest falls in GVA/head of any area in the whole of the UK since 1997.

With a large part of the business base in those areas which does not get access to such funds,how is the Assembly Government going to ensure that they are also supported to help grow the whole economy within Wales?

Will try and put my thinking hat on this and come back in a few days time.

Comments

Anonymous said…
the Assembly Government will spin this downturn in North Wales as a problem with the global economy, Dylan both you and i know that. Shame that none of our AM's are up to the challenge of tearing apart the appauling economic policies of this Government in the Senedd.
June 13, 2008 2:06 pm
Anonymous said…
bad news all round for North and South Wales with your figures on growth and Ventura being the latest business to be closing its Call Centre and 440 staff losing their jobs.
June 13, 2008 3:35 pm
Welshwalker said…
"all the latest Convergence funding, which is being sprayed around like confetti at the moment by the Welsh Assembly Government..."

So where do we find out about how and where these funds are being splurged? Just asking.
June 14, 2008 1:12 pm
Welshwalker said…
Well I suppose I can get the answer to my question above from WEFO at
http://www.wefo.wales.gov.uk/resource/website-figures-230520083133.pdf

This tells me that 21 projects (out of 260 submitted) have been approved and 144 are still being evaluated by WEFO . ie. over half are still being processed.
You must have looked at these approved projects, Dylan. I don't really understand the. Do you think they will succeed in having and impact on the economy of Wales?
June 14, 2008 1:28 pm
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE CRACHACH

Unlike me, do you consider yourself part of 'the establishment' here in Wales?  As thousands gather for the Eisteddfod in Mold this morning, they will, according to some social commentators, not be participating in the greatest cultural festivals of Europe. Instead, they will merely be bit-part players in one of the annual gatherings of the great and good of Wales.  Unkindly, this set of the movers and shakers in Welsh society is known as 'the crachach' , and constitute a social class all of their own, dominating the educational, cultural and media sectors of Wales and allegedly looking down upon any outsider with new ideas, reinforcing mediocrity and failing to see beyond the limits of their own narrow experience.  They are said to live in a comfort zone that awaits the expected invitation to the next glass of chilled chardonnay and canapés, forgetting that due to their lack of leadership and drive, Wales remains firmly rooted to the bottom of the UK prosperity league ...
30 comments
Read more

THE FUTURE FOR SILICON VALLEY

During the last twenty years, there have been many academics, politicians and policymakers (including yours truly) who have looked over to the innovation developed in Silicon Valley, California and wondered if we could ever emulate that success here in Wales. Whilst the former First Minister Rhodri Morgan proposed only last week that South Wales could become the “UK’s answer to Silicon Valley”, he is not alone in the world with such a suggestion for his local area. With imitation often being the sincerest form of flattery, many others regions across the globe have tried to emulate the ‘secret sauce’ that has led to this small valley to the South East of San Francisco becoming the seedbed for world-leading companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Apple and Google. But after fifty years of success, can it maintain its position as the premier location for innovation in the World? This is a question that its own business community has recently been asking itself. This has culminated in a...
Read more

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CREATIVE CLASSES

One of my favourite academic books of the last two decades must be the “Rise of the Creative Classes” by Professor Richard Florida.  This was one of the first detailed studies of the growing group of individuals who use their creativity and mental labour to earn a living and not only included those in arts and entertainment, but also people working in science and technology as well as knowledge-based professions such as healthcare, law, business, and finance.  Fast forward to 2022 and Professor Florida has written an updated report on the creative classes although he and his team now identify a different type of individual who is taking full advantage of the growth in digital platforms, social media, and online marketplaces.  Such ‘creators’ are defined as those who use digital technology to make and publish unique creative content, whether in the form of video, film, art, music, design, text, games, or any other media that audiences can access and respond to.  They ...
Read more