WIREDGOV

Community groups and third sector organisations in Wales are to get support from the Welsh Government in planning for the UK’s departure from the EU.

Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services Alun Davies yesterday announced £150,000 has been made available from the European Transition Fund (ETF) to fund research into how the Brexit process could impact on community services in Wales and help the sector plan for all eventualities. 

The research will help community groups ensure any contingency planning and preparations are proportionate, as well as act to reassure both to the sector and to communities that benefit from these services.

Alun Davies, who announced we would be working with the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) to deliver the project said, 

“Whatever form of Brexit we end up with, leaving the EU will cause disruption. That is why we have been working hard to plan for all possible outcomes.

“As we approach Brexit, third sector bodies will also need to think carefully about how they respond to emerging changes and deliver vital services to our communities. We all want to ensure public services in Wales continue to deliver the highest possible standards to the people of Wales after we leave the EU and this funding can go some way towards that end.”

Ruth Marks, Chief Executive of the WVCA said,

“We’re really pleased to have secured this funding. There are lots of uncertainties around Brexit and the potential implications it presents for Wales’ most vulnerable groups and communities. This funding will help us better understand Wales’ reliance on the third sector to deliver essential community services and how withdrawing from the EU may impact on the services delivered to those communities most in need.”

The Welsh Government has been seeking innovative ways to support partner organisations through the Brexit process, and considering what advice, guidance and financial support we can provide to help them deal with this change.

The ETF was announced in January as part of our Brexit plans to directly help businesses and public services for the significant changes ahead. The ETF will provide a combination of financial support and loan funding, and will support the provision of technical, commercial, export-related and sectoral-specific advice for businesses and public sector bodies in Wales.