Wiltshire expands into Europe

6.12.00pm GMT Mon 15th Mar 2010

Wiltshire Council (WC) is to take on the responsibility for running the South West's office in Brussels. The eight staff will come onto the WC payroll, though the other councils in the region will be paying their share of the costs.

The purposes of the South West UK Brussels Office (SWUKBO) are to ensure the South West has a clear voice in Europe, to relay information about developments in Europe, and to develop transnational links and opportunities for cooperation with other European regions.

In the last three years WC has secured in excess of £10 million of European funding to support various corporate and partnership projects, and the Council's membership of the SWUKBO Partnership has been a contributory factor in this success.

There are difficulties in paying people in Euros with a variable exchange rate and the Inland Revenue are suspicious of the arrangement. There are also risks if the project ended for any reason - WC could be liable for redundancy costs, so an agreement with other councils and the Regional Development Agency to chip in if this were to happen has to be signed before WC will take on the responsibility.