Questions raised over whether £3.8m government grant awarded to Wrexham AFC was lawful
Summary
Wrexham AFC, partly owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, received a £3.8 million government grant before completing required legal checks. This raised questions about whether the grant followed the law, though the time to challenge the payment has now passed.Key Facts
- Wrexham AFC got £18 million in total taxpayer grants for stadium redevelopment.
- The first £3.8 million grant was awarded in February 2022 without a completed legal review (state aid assessment).
- The final legal assessment was submitted almost five months later, in July 2022.
- Public authorities must complete subsidy control assessments before granting money to ensure fairness and proper use of funds.
- Wrexham council said all due checks were done before the money transfer and denied any wrongdoing.
- The grant was given without a signed contract at the time but was authorized by the council’s executive board.
- Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over the club in 2021, raising its profile and finances.
- The club’s spending surpasses other UK football teams in lower leagues due to the grants and new ownership.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
