West Wales and the Valleys
West Wales and the Valleys is a UK International Territorial Level 2 statistical region covering the western areas of Wales and the South Wales Valleys. Created as part of the Eurostat's Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS), it was used to by the European Union (EU) to deliver the European Regional Development Fund to areas of Wales, until the UK's withdrawal from the EU in 2020. Following which it was mirrored onto the Office for National Statistics' International Territorial Level (ITL) geoclassification system. The remainder of Wales is part of the East Wales statistical region.
Description
The statistical region covers all of western Wales from
The 15
The region was used to manage
Following Brexit, the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, disputes over continued funding for the region were raised. The Welsh Government argued that it is not receiving the same levels of funding from the UK Government as the EU had provided, while the UK Government states it is fully replacing the EU funds for the regions. The UK Government, however, awards the funds under a more competitive bidding system, compared to the EU which set overall objectives but let priorities be decided locally.[8] Also, as a result of Brexit, Eurostat's Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS), was replaced by the UK Office for National Statistics' International Territorial Level (ITL), a similar geoclassification system, that is currently a mirror of the pre-existing NUTS regions.[10]
West Wales and the Valleys is an ITL 2 area, comprising eight ITL 3 areas, which are either individuals or groupings of the principal areas of Wales. The ITL 3 areas are:[10]
- Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot (17)
- Conwy and Denbighshire (13)
- Central Valleys (15)
- Gwent Valleys (16)
- Gwynedd (12)
- Isle of Anglesey(11)
- South West Wales (corresponding to former Dyfed) (14)
- Swansea (18)
The numbers in parentheses afterwards reference those used on the map at the top of this article.
See also
References
- ^ a b "What Europe does for me - #EUandME". what-europe-does-for-me.eu. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
- ^ "West Wales and the Valleys Convergence Operational Programme European Regional Development Fund 2007-2013" (PDF). gov.wales. Welsh European Funding Office.
- ^ a b Smit, Josephine (2016-09-20). "What did the EU do for Wales?". www.ribaj.com. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ a b c "What next for Wales' European funding?". BBC News. 2016-06-09. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "European Structural Fund Programme Regions in Wales for 2014-2020" (PDF). cardiff.ac.uk. Welsh Government. November 2014.
- ^ "Valleys, north and west Wales economic figures 'misleading', claims government". BBC News. 2012-03-14. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "West Wales and the Valleys European Regional Development Fund Programme 2014-2020 - 2017 Annual Implementation Report - Summary" (PDF). gov.wales. Welsh Government. August 2019.
- ^ ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ Brien, Philip (11 September 2020). "EU funding in the UK". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. House of Commons Library.
- ^ a b "International geographies - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-01-07.