Ceredigion MP Ben Lake has labelled a new funding announcement for mid Wales as “insufficient” and lacking ambition.

Last week, the Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns MP announced that there will be £55m of UK government spending available for projects in Ceredigion and Powys.

The Mid Wales Growth Deal, announced in 2017, is still at a very early stage, but promises to pool funding from both Welsh and UK governments in order to “leverage private investment to make a significant contribution” to the economy of the two counties.

Ben Lake said that, “although the announcement represents a step in the right direction”, “the proposed investment is insufficient to realise the aims of the policy, and is disappointing when compared to growth deals in other parts of the UK.”

“Having raised this particular issue during Treasury Questions in the chamber earlier this week, I was glad to receive some further clarity from the UK government on progress with regard to the Mid Wales Growth Plan,” Mr Lake said.

“It is fair to say that the proposed investment of £55m, spread over a 15-year period, falls well below the ambition outlined by the UK government when it first announced plans for a Mid Wales Growth Deal."

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