Western Gateway nuclear stakeholders are being urged to respond to a consultation on its future funding.

Following the October Budget, the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim McMahon MP, wrote to directors and Pan-Regional Partnerships (PRP) chairs setting out the Government's intention to cease core funding for PRPs, and to work with Western Gateway to understand the impacts this proposal would have, if taken forward.

A four-week consultation process on the future funding of PRPs closes on December 16 at 12pm.

The Government is consulting on the financial impacts of the decision and are seeking to understand which critical functions PRPs fulfil and which respondents would like to see maintained should these be able to be integrated elsewhere.

They would also like to understand the economic, equalities and environmental impacts of defunding PRPs drawing on existing information.

James Cooke, deputy director of the Western Gateway, said: "Over the last five years, our partnership has been uniting the most economically active parts of Wales and South West England to unlock growth and opportunities for the UK. 

"Predicted to be the fastest growing economy outside of London over the next five years, the Western Gateway are bringing together business, academia and 28 local authorities to increase investment and support innovation to ensure growth can benefit local communities.

"We believe the Western Gateway's unique status as a "cross-nation" partnership presents a unique opportunity to overcome historic barriers to growth across our area, ensuring collaboration and local leaders who are ready to collaborate at scale to deliver growth.

"Our work to lead the nomination to bring STEP Fusion technology to Oldbury & Berkeley ultimately created the shared vision and platform to support Great British Nuclear and Chiltern Vital Group ambitions to land enormous investment in this area and we are incredibly excited about supporting their nuclear and wider energy ambitions in creating a really powerful super cluster on the edge of the Severn.

"With other exciting projects at Aberthaw with our partners CCR Energy and SSE Energy Solutions, plus Last Energy investment in Bridgend and the Rolls Royce AUKUS investment in Cardiff, there are amazing projects happening here, just up the road from Hinkley Point C which has already facilitated a large and swelling supply chain.

"We are calling on Government to support a transition period to ensure continued cross-border work to ensure vital investment into low carbon energy, our rail network, cyber and technology can continue."

The Western Gateway is calling on people to support it by answering the consultation questions.