This is how much the EU has spent funding projects in Chichester

Pressure group MyEU has compiled data showing all the projects in the UK which have been awarded EU funding from 1992 to 2020.

The analysis revealed that 49 projects in Chichester benefited from at least £5,214,304 in funding between these dates.

For example West Dean Primary School received a grant for coordinating a project which aimed to significantly improve the provision of languages at the school and give staff the opportunity to increase their language knowledge and confidence.

The EU awarded funding of £9,637 in 2015 and a further £3,742 in 2017 towards the scheme, which involved eight members of staff taking part in a structured training course in either Spain or France.

The Weald and Downland Living Museum in Town Lane, Chichester, was one of four organisations to benefit from a £43,556 grant to improve competences of Adult Learning Facilitators at Open Air Museums.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds was awarded £1,334,402 towards a scheme at Chichester And Langstone Harbours to improve the conservation status of the little tern.

The University of Chichester was involved in seven projects which received EU funding, including a scheme for Dance and Performance Doctorates which received £297,275 in funding in 2016.

Chichester College benefitted from 18 projects, including an international work experience programme which gave trainees the opportunity to do an internship in other European countries.

West Sussex County Council directly received £984,382 in 2018 for a project offering career support for young people.

This grant amounted to 50 per cent of the total funding for the project, which helps 16-18 year olds not in education, employment and training (NEET) among others.

Businesses in the Chichester district have also benefited from EU funding.

Aurora Medical Ltd, based in Pook Lane, was awarded £151,540 in funding towards a project which aimed to develop a new type of hip implant.

While it is accepted the UK paid more into the EU than it got back in funding, many communities or projects which benefited from EU grants may be wondering what the future holds for them.

Hope Thomas and John Lees-Miller from MyEU said: “When we built myeu.uk we found that EU had dozens of programmes that funded job creation, rural development, research, the arts and opportunities for young people in the UK.

“We, and a lot of people spoke to, didn’t know about all this local money being invested by the EU.

“Now that we have left, the UK government will have to step up to create new programmes to replace this funding, and they don’t have much time.”

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “The Government is committed to levelling up our regions and creating a UK Shared Prosperity Fund which binds together the whole of the UK, tackling inequality and deprivation in each of our four nations.

“We continue to work closely with interested parties across the UK as we develop this fund.”

Visit MyEU’s website here.

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