A REPORT into the long-delayed Circuit of Wales project which slammed decisions made by the Welsh Government to hand over £9.3 million of public money to the scheme has been met with a mixed reaction.

Today, the Wales Audit Office released a report into the scheme, which was highly critical of decisions behind making the payments to developers the Heads of the Valleys Development Company. Labour’s Blaenau Gwent MP Nick Smith said the project had his full support, but hit out at Monmouth MP David Davies, who has frequently raised concerns around how money handed over to the project team had been used, saying it was his “latest attempt to scupper the project”.

“We all know about the hard work done to put together a funding formula, overcome environmentalists’ criticisms, secure planning permission and fend off sideswipes from competitors with their own tracks,” he said.

“Let’s crack on with the next stage.”

But Conservative MP Mr Davies hit back, saying: “If they (the project team) could find private companies to back this I would have no issue with it.

“But we are talking about public money.

“They have had £9 million and the Auditor General has issued a damning report into how this was spent.”

After the Welsh Government’s economy secretary Ken Skates said the project would not be given the go-ahead unless it was at least 50 per cent funded by the private sector Heads of the Valleys submitted a revised application in February which reportedly meets these requirements.

But no news has been forthcoming since then, leading some to speculate a decision would not be made until after June’s General Election.

A Welsh Government spokeswoman said: “Due diligence on this complex project is ongoing.

“We are working hard to complete this exercise as thoroughly and as efficiently and possible but are still awaiting some final details from the company.

“After we are able to complete all the due diligence, a decision will be made by the cabinet.”

Monmouth AM Nick Ramsay, speaking in his capacity as chairman of the Welsh Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee, said he was “particularly concerned” by a number of findings in the report.

“Once again we see an apparent lack of robust governance around the Welsh Government’s use of public money to fund private companies,” he said.

The Conservative AM added: “The Public Accounts Committee will want to examine all of these matters in detail in the near future.”

Blaenau Gwent AM Alun Davies and Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council declined to comment. The full report is available at audit.wales.