North West MEP Terry Wynn will be told why Cumbria should qualify for European structural funding after 2006 when he visits the county tomorrow, Friday, 17th June.
The Labour MEP, who sits on the EU's Budgetary Control Committee, will be shown the Westlakes Science and Technology Park near Whitehaven as a good example of the good use to which EU funding has been put in the county. The park has benefited from around £5 million of EU funding support in recent years and has created 660 jobs in West Cumbria at a time when the local economy has been struggling.
During the visit Mr Wynn will meet cabinet spokesman on the economy Tim Heslop and senior economic development experts from the county council.
Mr Wynn, who is a former chairman of the European Parliament's Budget Committee which oversees the EU's £70 billion budget, will be briefed on what Cumbrian partners are doing to promote the county's case for EU support and hear strong arguments why Cumbria should qualify for continued funding in the enlarged EU.
Councillor Tim Heslop, cabinet spokesman for the economy, said: "This is a chance for us to show Mr Wynn some of the good things we have achieved in Cumbria with European funding, and a real opportunity to present our strong case for Cumbria qualifying for EU structure fund support after 2006, even in the enlarged EU."
Mr Wynn will be visiting the Westlakes Science and Technology Park in the afternoon. He and councillor Tim Heslop will be available to speak to journalists at 3.50pm at Ingwell Hall at Westlakes.