IT’S easy to miss the benefits EU membership has given us locally to businesses and the public good.

To inform myself what we stand to lose when we leave the EU, I’ve added up the value of grants awarded to fund public projects and invested in research around the Knutsford, Wilmslow and Alderley Edge area.

More than £15 million has been spent on projects supporting young people, transport, science, health and research, the majority of which was in the last 4-5 years.

While there are likely to be far more EU funded projects than I was able to identify, projects include: £1.48m awarded in Alderley Edge, predominantly funding research jobs, but also city £200k spent on young people (Alderley Edge School for Girls and partner schools).

£563k awarded in Handforth, predominantly for young people and also transport projects.

£477 awarded at Jodrell Bank for science research. £9.5m awarded in Knutsford, predominantly funding high value energy and environmental research jobs.

£2.3m awarded in Nether Alderley funding health and science research.

£1.07m awarded in Wilmslow mostly to cancer research projects, with £20k spent on young people (Gorsey Bank Primary School and Wilmslow High School).

The EU’s European Regional Development Fund allocated the north west £755.5 million from 2007- 13.

This is in stark contrast to the treatment from government with councils in the north west among the councils with the most severe cuts to their budgets. Can we really afford to lose this EU funding if Brexit is delivered?

Stuart Anderson Via email