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(see transition and closure section).
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Fund will support rural services
14 October 2009
The fund, part of the Rural Development Programme for England
(RDPE), has been set up by the South West RDA to enable community
and social enterprises to play a major role in expanding or adding
to the basic services they provide.
Funding will be targeted in two ways:
- A grant to support projects from community and social
enterprises for the improved delivery of, and access to, basic
services
- Advice and support for community and social enterprises that
deliver basic services in order to improve their overall
viability
Over the next three years, £2 million will be available annually
to not-for-private-profit organisations such as registered
charities, community businesses, social enterprises or
co-operatives and parish councils to support a range of
projects.
The grants should be used to directly support the provision and
delivery of basic services in rural areas. These can range from key
services such as access to child care, retail services or services
provided for the benefit of the community such as renewable energy
projects.
"The needs of the community are often most effectively
identified by the communities themselves," said Andy Wood, the
RDA's Head of Place Making and Partnerships.
"It is not possible to give a definitive list of activities;
they will vary with each community but they could include provision
of local services such as small-scale transport, local shops and
community facilities. Community and social enterprises are an
effective way of delivering and maintaining services, maintaining
employment and providing local solutions to local problems.
"It is important that the services and projects we support must
be able to sustain themselves after the period of grant support is
over. The grants themselves should help to achieve this."
The fund is open to enterprises in rural areas - the countryside
or towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000 -
across the whole of South West England.
All projects will go through the same appraisal process with
viability, sustainability and value-for-money being major
considerations.
The Rural Development Programme for England 2007-2013 is jointly
funded by Defra and the European Union, with the aim of delivering
targeted support to rural businesses and communities. It is managed
in this region by the South West RDA, Natural England and the
Forestry Commission.
More information on the Community and Social Enterprise Fund is
available at
http://www.sw-ruralgateway.info/getting/social-enterprise-1.shtm
Ends
For further information, please contact Pat Murray, of the South
West RDA press office, on 07733264756
Notes to editors
RDPE
The Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) runs from
2007 to 2013. It is the 2nd pillar of the Common Agricultural
Policy and aims to support the creation of genuinely sustainable
farming, forestry and food sectors, whilst also bringing wider
benefits for the economy, the environment and rural communities. It
provides the major financial vehicle for protecting and enhancing
the environment and securing a range of public benefits for
society. Defra is the Managing Authority.
The RDPE has three priorities for rural development:
1. Improving competitiveness of the agriculture and forestry
sectors
2. Improving the environment and the countryside
3. Improving the quality of life in rural areas and encouraging
diversification of economic activity
In this region, the South West of England Regional Development
Agency (RDA) will deliver priorities 1and 3 with a budget of £156.8
million over the seven years. The RDA is also responsible for
ensuring that five per cent of the RDPE funding is spent on
enabling community involvement in rural development. The delivery
partners in the South West aim to ensure that investment in each of
the three priorities will help support investment in the
others.
The RDPE priority for improving the environment and the
countryside is being delivered nationally by the Forestry
Commission's Woodland Grant Scheme and Natural England's
Environmental Stewardship Scheme. In addition, a minimum of 5% of
the programme will be delivered through a local community-led
approach.
The aims, objectives and priorities for delivering RDPE in South
West England were agreed for the socio-economic investments with
regional partners and these are set out in the Regional
Implementation Plan. On the basis of a thorough analysis of South
West England's rural characteristics and economy, the Plan sets out
eight themes:
i. Skills development
ii. Social enterprise
iii. Business support
iv. Supply chain and adding value
v. Resource management (soil, water, energy, waste)
vi. Sustainable rural tourism
vii. Biodiversity and landscape
viii. Community-led development
Further more information on the RDPE and the schemes see
www.sw-ruralgateway.info
Organisations involved in delivering RDPE
The South West RDA leads the development of a sustainable
economy, investing to unlock the region's business potential. It
works in partnership with public, private and social purpose
organisations to drive up the region's productivity by giving
people the skills they need, encouraging enterprise, improving
infrastructure, regenerating places and promoting the strengths of
the region.
Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve
and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban,
coastal and marine areas. It conserves and enhances the natural
environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of
people, and the economic prosperity it brings. For more information
see http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/
Environmental Stewardship (ES) was launched in 2005, builds on
the very best practice already evident in British farming. During
the period 2007-13 the national budget for ES will be £2.9 billion.
The objectives of ES are to:
- Conserve wildlife (biodiversity).
- Maintain and enhance landscape quality and character.
- Protect the historic environment and natural resources.
- Promote public access and understanding of the
countryside.
- Natural resource protection.
The Forestry Commission is the government department responsible
for forestry in Great Britain. It supports woodland owners with
grants, tree felling licences, regulation and advice; promotes the
benefits of forests and forestry; and advises Government on
forestry policy. For further information, visit www.forestry.gov.uk.