Campaign to ‘unpause’ growth deal heads to Westminster

REPRESENTATIVES from the Mid South West Growth Deal travelled to Westminster with an urgent call to the Labour Government to ‘lift the pause’.

A delegation from the so-called Mid South West (MSW) region, which includes Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, met with MPs in London, urging them put their case to the Labour Government ahead of the Autumn Budget.

Millions of pounds were due to be invested locally if the deal, involving Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, alongside the neighbouring local authorities in Mid Ulster and Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon, had gone ahead.

The investment package for the MSW Growth Deal was to comprise a funding commitment of £252m, of which the UK Government was to contribute £126 million.

Project proposals included in the MSW Deal aimed to enable infrastructure, boost innovation and digital capacity, support green energy development, increase tourism, and futureproof the region’s skills base.

It emerged last month that the British Government had decided to pause its funding for both the MSW growth deal, as well as a similar one for the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area, pending the outcome of a spending review.

Commitments

The decision was met with unanimous opposition from the NI Executive, which is standing by its commitments to the Growth Deals.

Speaking yesterday, MSW Region Governance Steering Group chair, Kevin Savage, said, “Just last week we marked what should have been a pivotal moment in our Growth Deal, the Heads of Terms Agreement signing. Our delivery partners including the Northern Ireland Executive came together to show their support for the plans to grow the MSW economy…

“These Growth Deals are crucial to delivering not only on the Northern Ireland Executive’s new plan to boost regional economic performance, but the UK Government’s clear priority
for sustainable economic growth.

“We gather today at Westminster to say to the UK Government that we need all the promised funding to fully deliver transformational change, so we urge them to lift the pause on our growth.”