Aberdeenshire Council is sure the region will be “well represented” in the battle for funding after Brexit.
The Scottish Government launched a consultation last year on how best to manage the overall funding cut if the UK was to leave the EU.
Aberdeenshire Council has worked out that their share of lost funding amounts to £12,705,463 and met yesterday to review a draft consultation response.
It claims that by leaving the EU, staff could have more time to provide support to funding recipients, “rather than simply helping them to navigate complex bureaucratic systems and processes with little added value.”
Yesterday, the proposal was approved by members of Aberdeenshire Council’s infrastructure committee.
Committee chairman Peter Argyle said: “It is an excellent report and emphasises the need for replacement funding to be a more simple process.
“Whatever comes in its place needs to be user friendly for community groups.”
And last night, MP Andrew Bowie, said: “The UK Shared Prosperity Fund will replace an overly complex, Byzantine network of EU funding streams next year.
“There is widespread agreement that the cash will represent a fresh start on EU funding, which has been getting more restrictive in recent years.
“Council officers are right to point out that many organisations struggle with it.”