| Who Controls Cornwall's Cash? |
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Page 1 of 5 Cornwall, due to its poor economic standing, will receive nearly £800 million of European cash to improve its position. Rachel Foster investigates SWRDA – the English agency holding the purse-strings for Cornwall’s future. It’s hard to believe that, a decade ago, your average Cornishman on the street may never have heard of Objective One. A term that once epitomised Euro-jargon is now sewn into the economic landscape and consciousness of Cornwall, thanks to a £300 million cash injection from Europe. On the horizon is a whole new realm of money from Brussels – up to £440 million of Convergence funding to further boost Cornwall’s role in Europe’s economy.  New bypass across Goss Moor for the main A30 - opening up a lifeline into Cornwall. Photo by Sam Camfield. At least 70 per cent of this money will be managed by the South West Regional Development Agency, or SWRDA as it is commonly known – an unelected body appointed by Government. Cornish World investigates just what this body is, whom it answers to and how it plans to spend the Convergence euro millions. The South West Regional Development Agency was set up in 1999 as one of nine regional development agencies across the UK. Its board is made up of economic experts appointed by Government, not elected by the public. The board governs decisions on various economic issues for the South West, from funding new business premises to infrastructure such as roads, transport and IT communications. Covering a similar area, from the Isles of Scilly in the West to Gloucester and Dorset in the East, is the South West Regional Assembly. The regional assembly is made up of a mixture of South West councillors from county, district and unitary authorities. Additionally, there are the Social, Economic and Environmental Partners (SEEPS), who represent other areas of the community, such as the voluntary sector, education, youth, health and agriculture. Members are nominated either by regional groups or local authorities, and therefore not strictly elected, although councillor members’ positions are reviewed on an annual basis. |
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