Wouldnt this money have been better spent on grass roots groups?
Both Yorkshire Forward and the European Unions European Regional Development Fund (delivered through the South Yorkshire Objective 1 Programme) are primarily charged with supporting economic development initiatives. The VAB building business plan therefore needed to demonstrate to both of these funding bodies that the facility and its associated services will make a contribution to the continuing growth of the local economy. The funding was only available to support economic and social infrastructure projects within the Third Sector, and not community based social regeneration initiatives. In addition, had VAB not been able to secure this investment in the borough, the funding would have been reallocated to one of the other three local authority areas in South Yorkshire. The VAB building will however support grass roots organisations by bringing together high quality services under one roof.
