£250K WG grant to 'count moths on Great Orme' branded 'crazy'

A LLANDUDNO councillor described the spending of £250,000 of taxpayers’ money on “counting the number of moths on the Great Orme” as “crazy”.

- By RICHARD EVANS

Speaking at a Conservative Party conference in Llangollen last week, Cllr Louise Emery raised the issue of a grant paid by Welsh Government to Conwy County Council.

The “Cryptic Creatures of the Creuddyn” is a two-year project focusing on invertebrates associated with limestone habitats on the Creuddyn peninsula.

Delivered by the Heritage Fund, on behalf of the Welsh Government, the project is funded by the Nature Networks Programme and involves working with schools and the community for the benefit of invertebrates.

Cllr Emery, though, believed Welsh Government money could be better allocated to councils at a time when many local authorities are struggling to make ends meet and cutting front-line services.

"We are seeing a lack of investment in roads, and it is priorities. The worst one I’ve heard of is £250,000 counting the number of moths on the Great Orme - crazy!" she said at the conference.