Bath’s MP has written to the Minister for Local Government to demand continued financial support for the Western Gateway Partnership.

This comes after the department for Housing, Communities and Local Government announced it was consulting on ending future funding for pan-regional partnerships by March.

This could see funding withdrawn for the Western Gateway which is the only pan-regional partnership to encompass two countries in the UK, spanning both the West of England and the south of Wales.

The Western Gateway Partnership brings together business, local leaders and academia to grow a greener, fairer future for the area and boost the UK’s economy. Covering a population of five million people, the partnership represents a combined economy worth £130billion.

The partnership relies on the £1million a year from the government. Alongside 13 other parliamentarians, Wera Hobhouse (Lib Dem, Bath) wrote to the Minister for Local Government, Jim McMahon, to urge him to continue financial support for the Western Gateway without which she warned it would “cease to exist”.

Kevin Guy, Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) Council leader, is also a supporter of the Western Gateway. B&NES Council has worked closely with councils in the area as part of the Western Gateway sub-national transport body to promote decarbonising local transport.