Counsel General and Brexit Minister Jeremy Miles today announced £2.3 million of EU funds through the new Building Resilience, Prosperity and Wellbeing programme.
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
The funding will support small and medium sized enterprises in their approach to staff wellbeing, assistance for people with work-limiting health conditions, and support for people returning to work after a period of absence.
Nearly 9 in 10 businesses in Rhondda Cynon Taf have fewer than 10 employees, and many lack a dedicated human resource professional to develop equality and diversity policies and to support their employees with work limiting health conditions.
This funding will enable RCT to support SMEs and ensure all people employed in the local authority area have access to equitable ‘in work’ support services which pay particular attention to health and wellbeing needs.
Jeremy Miles said:
“I am delighted EU funds are continuing to be used to invest in the resilience of our businesses and to help promote the wellbeing of our talented workforce. Wales has benefited hugely from EU funding programmes that the Welsh Government has managed with Welsh partners for 20 years. It is extremely important the UK government honours the promises made during the referendum campaign that this funding will be fully replaced when the UK leaves the EU and for us to retain policy control over that funding so it benefits businesses, people and communities here in Wales. A centralised or UK-directed approach that is managed by Whitehall would be an attack on devolution in Wales.”
Councillor Maureen Webber, Deputy Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf said:
“We have made a huge impact to help people who were out of work, into work since 2012. With this momentum behind us, we can look at improving the experience of those now in work, focusing on staff health and wellbeing, staff absence and retention, and helping people manage their long-term health conditions while in employment.
“This is a welcome announcement and our new Building Resilience, Prosperity and Wellbeing projects will fully utilise the funding to maximise benefits for employees and employers in Rhondda Cynon Taf.”
In the last decade, EU-funded projects have created 45,000 new jobs and 13,000 new businesses across Wales, while also helping more than 85,000 people into employment.