'˜Lancashire has had £96m from Europe'

Leaders at Britain Stronger in Europe say the county benefits through receiving EU funding, which supports regional development, provides investment and creates jobs.

They say, during the 2007 to 2013 European Structural Funds programme, Lancashire received £96.5m.

The projects included £16,525,000 to Lancashire County Council for Lancashire super fast broadband, £1,077,372 to the University of Central Lancashire for the development of innovative small wind turbine technologies, and £2,666,527 to Blackpool Council for Tower Festival Headland enhancements.

Stuart Rose, chairman of the board of Britain Stronger in Europe, said: “People across Lancashire are making the choice of a generation – to stay in Europe and continue to benefit from the jobs, investment and trade that membership brings, or turn our back on the world and take a leap into the unknown.

“The Stronger In campaign is determined to showcase the strength and variety of EU investment across Lancashire – not only does Britain as a whole benefit from our membership, but individuals, towns and workplaces have all benefited from the funding they have received. The benefits of our EU membership clearly outweigh the costs, and the projects across Lancashire funded by EU investment make that clear.”

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of Vote Leave said: “There is no such thing as EU money, every penny spent on these projects comes from the wallets of British taxpayers after too much it has been wasted on Brussels bureaucracy.

“The hypocrisy of pro-EU campaigners to try and pass off things we have paid for as being EU funded is breath-taking.”