Unanimous support has been given to motion calling on the UK Government to stop delaying and consult on the future establishment of a UK shared Prosperity Fund which will replace vital European Structural Funds following Brexit.
The consultation on the establishment of this fund has been further delayed due to the failure of the UK Conservative Government to have their withdrawal agreement from the EU approved in parliament after several attempts.
The motion was submitted by SNP Group councillors Jim Paterson and John McNaughtan to the full Council meeting yesterday.
SNP Councillor Jim Paterson said: “Whilst we await the Tories to choose their next Leader and the Prime Minister we hurtle towards our exit from the EU with little clarity on what will happen to this vital source of funding. Once a new Prime Minister is in place there will be merely one day of Parliament before it breaks for summer recess. It is unfathomable that three years after the EU referendum so little detail is know about this fund amongst many other issues that the Tories choose to ignore whilst they play at being in Government.”
SNP Councillor John McNaughtan said: “This fund supports economic development, employability, business and agriculture so it is important that Scottish proportion of this fund is devolved to the Scottish Government to manage as they are best placed to know where spending will have the most impact.”