SW farmers fury over 5b aid
SW farmers fury over 5b aid
MAFF has been severely criticised by Euro-MP Robin Teverson for failing to help farmers in the south-west obtain the substantial EU Objective 5b funds which are available to improve the rural economy of the area.
The Lib-Dem MEP for Cornwall and Plymouth published a report this week describing the difficulties, frustrations, long delays and frequent disappointments experienced by applicants for 5b funds.
Mr Teverson detailed a catalogue of disasters. He gave examples of projects taking up to 19 months to be approved, and said that less than 5% of the total funds available had actually been spent, and less than 30% allocated.
Applicants were having to spend thousands of pounds preparing and re-doing applications, only to have them rejected much later. Some applicants had been not been told their projects were ineligible until quite a late stage, after they had incurred substantial costs.
Mr Teverson said the 5b scheme worked well in Wales and Scotland. So why, he asked, was it so awful in England and especially in the south-west.
Joining Mr Teverson at the farm, Lib-Dem farm spokesman Charles Kennedy also criticised government failings. Labours main decisions since taking office had hammered the rural areas, he said. "So how they can claim to be the party of the countryside beggars belief."
Mr Kennedy promised that the Lib-Dems would attack the governments failure to recognise agricultures needs in its headlong rush to restructure MAFF because of food safety issues.n
Robin Teverson (left) and Charles Kennedy used their visit to the SW to attack government failings.