04/07/2016 BBC Wales Today

Our top stories: A billion pounds of EU money waiting

Tonight one of the country's council bosses begs, get on with,

before it's too late. And Gareth Bale says the semifinal

is Wales versus Portugal, not Bale versus Ronaldo.

A billion pounds of EU funding for the most deprived parts of Wales

has yet to be spent and the leader of one of our biggest councils says

the Welsh Government must allocate it urgently,

Andrew Morgan, who leads Rhondda Cynon Taff, says the money

assigned to Wales for projects up to 2020 could be withdrawn,

Here's our Political Editor, Nick Servini.

Billions has been spent an EU funded regeneration schemes across Wales.

From infrastructure, to leisure, to education.

But time is running out for future EU spending after Wales,

The leader of Rhondda Cynon Taff council says the priority now has

to be getting the EU money invested before it is too late.

These are schemes which have been worked out in a lot of detail.

This is not plucking schemes out of the air to waste the money.

Ultimately, we've only got two years at most to spend this money.

Andrew Morgan believes that south Wales valleys towns like Aberdare

which could benefit from decisions on EU funded regeneration

projects, including one plan for this former hotel.

In these offices behind me in Merthyr Tydfil

are the headquarters of the Welsh European funding

office, which is part of the Welsh government.

They will have to find something else to do here.

But what happens between now and a Brexit?

Officials will come under pressure to get as much of the remaining EU

funds out of the door as quickly as possible.

Nearly a fortnight has now passed since the referendum result,

but reminders are still there, like in Merthyr Tydfil.

Ironically, only a few hundred yards where millions were spent

Residents in the communities that spent most in need were most likely

Swansea voted to leave, and yet today Prince Charles

officially opened the university's new Baycampus, the most

high-profile EU funded project in Wales in recent years.

Leave campaigners responded to Andrew Morgan by saying

investment like this would not dry up.

They say that instead, it will come from Westminster,

and be awarded to project that will be more effective

After we've left the European Union we will have all the money that

currently is being diverted to the EU to spend on projects such

I don't think he should be rushing to splash the cash.

The Welsh Government says the money is already being freed up quickly

and that 40% of the EU money that is available

We are confident that there are projects in the pipeline, good

If we can draw those forward and make them happen earlier then

it is in everybody's interest to do that.

Funding for projects like these will soon be consigned

But before they go, a clear call today to make the most

Wales has a real opportunity to design "Welsh specific policies"

on farming and the environment, now we're leaving the EU.

That's the message from Rural Affairs Secretary, Lesley Griffiths,

after she and First Minister, Carwyn Jones, met with

Here's our environment correspondent, Steffan Messenger.

Getting on with the day job as if nothing had changed,

but in reality, the referendum result is the start of a huge shift

in the way farmers like Wyn Evans run their businesses.

For decades, European subsidies have helped keep them on the land.

Wyn footed to stay in, fearing he would lose out

We will be fighting against the health authorities,

The farm behind me would struggle if the support

Helping farmers also helps the rural economy.

Across Wales, some 60,000 people are employed on farms

and when they spend their subsidy cheques, that supports anything

from local vets to machinery providers.

Vote Leave campaigners say any subsidy handed down

to farmers is our many anyway, recycled via Brussels.

their own they promised the Welsh and UK Governments

would create their own better targeted payment schemes instead.

Ifan Roberts is convinced that breaking free is for the best.

He voted to leave, wanting Wales to take control

By having a policy that we were under with the European Union,

There will be a lot of negotiating between our own politicians on how

The pressure is on them for the Welsh Government's

She is new to the job after the assembly election.

I am very disappointed that the decision was taken

to leave the European Union, but it is an opportunity to do

things for Wales, so my officials will be looking very carefully

at legislation for instance, seeing what we need to unpick,

what we can still use and strengthen the legislation.

We can have a very Welsh specific policies going forward.

Meeting farming unions, rural businesses and

environmental groups in Cardiff Bay this afternoon.

Lesley Griffiths and the First Minister, Carwyn Jones,

But those in the room will be keen to see some action too.

Wales' football players arrive in Lyon tomorrow,

ready for Wednesday's semifinal against Portugal.

The talk today has mostly been about two players in particular.

There are few footballers in the world that attract

He is the most expensive, beating the previous record paid

for his now Real Madrid team-mate, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Much has already been made of their relationship.

Now even more so, as they face each other in the semifinal.

But no, we have always spoken about what we do ourselves

as a team and we do not worry about the opposition.

We have played teams that have very good individuals,

but for us, it is about 18, it is about how

And while the focus was as usual on Ronaldo at training today,

it was the absence of another Portuguese star that the Wales camp

Centre back Pepe, one of their best players,

Gareth Bale says they are still very much a threat.

It is about two nations in a semifinal, 11

It is going to be a very difficult game.

They are in the semifinal for a reason, they have played well

enough, and we are just going to try and enjoy the occasion

again like we always have and we will carry

Wales will be hoping to recreate the quarterfinal performance that

These pupils in Swansea are already attempting to emulate

Hal Robson-Kanu's wondergoal and they are sure Wales can again.

This was the first time that we have got this far.

When we saw that goal happening, we knew it was just

It is going to be really tight because it is Gareth Bale

But I think we have a very high chance of winning that game.

They are here to win on Wednesday as a team.

Now time for the weather forecast with Sue Charles.

It is generally looking fairly settled this week. Less rain than

last week with sunny spells and also a bit warmer weather midweek. If we

look at the map, overnight, clear spells. Often cloudy with spots of

rain. Easing by the morning. Low pressure bringing thicker cloud and

drizzle. Tomorrow, a more settled day but risk north-westerly winds

following behind. A misty and murky start tomorrow with cloud breaking,

turning brighter. Things improving. Some thicker cloud in the East at

brightening up from the West with sunny spells developing. Risk

north-westerly winds pushing in showers across northern Scotland's.

Warmest in the south of England at 22. Wales, drier and brighter with

sunny spells developing later. Top temperature 15 Celsius since Kennedy

again. Tomorrow night, clear spells and some cloud further south.

Midweek, an area of high pressure builds from the South, keeping

Atlantic weather systems briefly at bay. Wednesday is looking fair,

sunny spells but turning cloudy later. Maybe with spots of drizzle

and milder south-westerly winds. Temperatures reaching the high teens

and it is looking fairly settled for the rest of the week. Maybe a bit

overcast on Thursday but looking more settled and brighter again on

Friday.