Western Gateway Loses UK Government Funding, Ending Cross-Border Growth Partnership
Western Gateway, a partnership of 28 local authorities stretching from Pembrokeshire to Swindon and Salisbury, was receiving £1 million annually as part of a three-year funding package announced in 2022. However, the UK government confirmed its decision to withdraw funding as part of a broader move to end support for so-called pan-regional partnerships (PRPs).
Instead, the government wants newly elected mayors in England to take over the role of regional coordination and economic development.
Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Mims Davies, expressed outrage over the decision, calling it “horrifying” and “bitterly disappointing,” noting the cancellation of “fantastic work” that could have driven major economic growth.
Western Gateway had hoped for an exemption, as it is the only PRP that operates across the borders of two UK nations. Chair Sarah Williams-Gardener criticised the government for failing to engage with key stakeholders.
“This is a hugely disappointing decision from the UK government,” she said. “Despite calls for discussions from the Welsh government, business leaders, local representatives, and MPs, ministers have refused to meet or consult with any of us.”
Just last month, the partnership’s commission released proposals urging both the UK and Welsh governments to back the construction of a tidal lagoon in the Severn Estuary to generate clean electricity. In January, they unveiled a major transport vision that included 30 new railway stations and faster connections—cutting travel time between Cardiff and Bristol by 30 minutes, and Bristol to London by an hour.
Western Gateway claimed its initiatives could inject £17 billion into the UK economy, though implementation would have required continued government investment. The group also secured over £2 million in combined in-kind and financial support and helped bring in £100 million for the development of small modular nuclear reactors—cost-effective, compact power stations partially built off-site.
Founded in 2016 as a collaboration between Cardiff, Bristol, and Newport, the partnership gained formal UK government backing in 2019. Its work was part of the government’s regional growth strategy until the recent policy shift.
A UK government spokesperson said:
“While pan-regional partnerships have played a valuable role, our English Devolution White Paper outlines a shift toward a new model of regional collaboration, focused on elected mayors and their partners. Our Plan for Change commits to ensuring every nation and region reaches its full potential.”
Although Wales currently lacks a devolved system of elected mayors, the UK government has said it will continue collaborating with the Welsh government on local growth initiatives.
In a letter to Labour’s Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens, Conservative shadow Welsh secretary Mims Davies urged a reversal of the funding cut.
“I am absolutely horrified to learn your government has pulled the crucial funding for the incredibly important Western Gateway,” she wrote.
Despite the loss of formal backing, Williams-Gardener emphasized that the region still holds significant economic promise, saying it has the potential to become the fastest-growing area outside London.
BBC Wales has learned that local authorities remain committed to working together, though they will now have to do so without the structural and financial support provided by Western Gateway.
The Welsh government declined to comment.