National Assembly Committee calls for ‘wholesale review' of Welsh European Funding Office

17 December 2012

A ‘wholesale review’ of the Welsh European Funding Office (WEFO) is needed, according to a National Assembly Committee.

The National Assembly’s Finance Committee has made this recommendation in its report on EU Structural Funding. The Committee found while the systems for distributing such funds into projects in Wales were generally effective, it was difficult to establish what outcomes were being achieved.

EU Structural Funding will have contributed more than £1.5 billion pounds to Wales between 2007 and 2013. Its aims are to help regenerate areas with high unemployment, create a sustainable and competitive economy, and tackle climate change.

The Committee wants to see the Welsh Government define both its strategic priorities for the next round of funding in 2014 and WEFO’s role in monitoring and evaluating progress.

“The Committee has concerns over the lack of leadership, co-ordination and monitoring of what effect these funds are having on communities in Wales,” said Jocelyn Davies AM, Chair of the Finance Committee.

“Therefore we want to see a wholesale review of the Welsh European Funding Office’s purpose and role and a clear distinction of the Welsh Government’s strategic priorities in the future.

“Such a move is important as this latest round of European funding is due to end in 2013 and negotiations among member states over the future EU budget have just begun.

“Wales must be able to demonstrate how it using the funding wisely and effectively.”

The Committee makes 16 recommendations in its report, including:

• The Welsh Government’s review of arrangements for implementation of European Structural Fund programmes post-2013 gives independent, unfettered and imaginative consideration to the future role, responsibilities and structure of WEFO.

• The Welsh Government defines its strategic priorities for the next funding round in a clear and accessible format at the earliest available opportunity, with a particular focus on the intended legacy of spend.

• The Welsh Government improves the collection and analysis of procurement and contract data to enable a strategic overview to be taken on a local and regional basis of the delivery and intended long-term outcomes of European structural funded projects.

• Ahead of the next European Funding Round, the Welsh Government reviews its processes for applicants applying for funding from WEFO, with a view to ensuring that they are both appropriately robust and that any unnecessary bureaucracy is eliminated. We consider that this review should be performed in consultation with appropriate stakeholders.