EU funding for rural businesses

LEADER is part of the EU's Farming and Rural Development Programme. Its priorities are:

1. Support for Cultural and Heritage Activities
2. Support for increasing Forestry productivity
3. Support for Micro and Small Enterprises including Farm Diversification
4. Support for Rural Tourism
5. Support for increasing Farm Productivity
6. Provision of Rural Services
7. Rural/City links and Social Enterprise

The West of England Rural Network is keen to encourage rural businesses in our area to apply for funding. All applications must be match funded in cash.

The first step is to ring the LEADER office on 01275 333 701 or email to see if your postcode falls within the remit of the programme and whether it qualifies for financial support. The call for applications closes on 11th July.

Good news on rural transport

South Glos Council has successfully bid for £150,000 to fund a feasibility study into the potential for more integration between Community Transport (CT) Operators and NHS appointment processes, in order to increase accessibility to health services from our rural areas.

You can read more here.

Revitalising the rural economy

On the same afternoon that the Westerleigh Village Energy Day was taking place, delegates at the Liberal Democrat Conference voted to support a motion "Revitalising the Rural Economy" which touched on some of the same issues, such as high fuel prices.
The motion set out a clear Liberal Democrat vision to build thriving rural communities and called for:

• Investment in rural high-speed broadband
• Fair trade for British farmers, through a more transparent market and further reform of the Common Agricultural Policy
• A sustainable rural jobs fund

You can find out more on the party's website. If you share the same aims and would like to get involved in setting party policy, you can join the party online.