Grants totalling almost 20 million pounds have been awarded to the ‘big three’ members of the Wales Environment Link (WEL) over the last three years, while other charities have received as little as five pounds.
The figures have been revealed to the Welsh Conservatives, following a Freedom of Information request.
Since June 2008, Keep Wales Tidy received over eight million pounds via the WEL – 40 per cent of the total amount of grants awarded. The National Trust received over six million pounds – 31 per cent of the total amount. Grants awarded to Sustrans amount to five million pounds – 26 per cent of the total.
During the same period other charities have received as little as £150 and in one case – the Open Spaces Society – just five pounds.
Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, Antoinette Sandbach AM, obtained the breakdown.
She said: “For the Welsh Labour government, it seems the bigger the charity the better.
“The largest are very clearly the principal winners and – while I accept their funding will be more than others – the scale of this disparity is of concern.
“All of these charities merit funding, not least those that are smaller, or have a lower public profile in Wales.
“In North Wales in particular, the Marine Conservation Society does an outstanding job – tackling a very wide range of threats facing the marine environment. Its funding under the WEL is miniscule when compared to the big three. That warrants further consideration and at the very least, an explanation.”
Shadow Minister for Environment, Russell George AM, said:
“I accept bigger charities will generally receive more funding via the WEL – but I think there’s a real danger that other members are drastically losing out.
“The Welsh Government needs to look again at this funding stream and make sure the balance between charities is fair and appropriate.”
