Local Action for rural communities

What is Local Action?

'Local Action' is the community-led element of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), which implements the LEADER principles developed under previous EU funded programmes.

The core objectives of Local Action are to:

  • Address economic under performance.
  • Improve the provision and access to services as a means of tackling disadvantage.
  • Harness the wider economic value from sustainable environmental quality.
  • Develop local governance and delivery capacity in rural areas.

Local Actions builds on the activities supported through other parts of the RDPE.

The budget for Local Action in the South West region is £33M over the programme period.

Key features of the LEADER approach:

  • It is area based - Local Action operates in defined geographical areas
  • Delivery is through local Partnerships, known as Local Action Groups (LAGs)
  • LAGs should be driven by local priorities
  • LAGs should involve the public, private and voluntary sectors
  • The programme should encourage innovation and experimentation in approaches to development
  • LAGs are encouraged to share experience with other LAGS both in the UK and across the EU.

Local Action Group area maps

For maps of areas covered by each Local Action Group see the Local Action Group maps page.

Local Action Group contacts

 

Clay Country

Contacts:
LAG Manager: Clare Leverton Tel 01209 611116
Programme Manager: Catherine Roberts Tel 01209 611106
Organisation: Cornwall Development Company

East Cornwall Local Action Group

Contacts:
LAG Manager: Linda Emmett Tel: 01208 265719
Programme Manager: Catherine Roberts Tel: 01209 611106
Organisation: Cornwall Development Company

West Cornwall Local Action Group

Contacts:
LAG Manager
: Clare Leverton Tel 01209 611116
Programme Manager: Catherine Roberts Tel 01209 611106
Organisation: Cornwall Development Company

Isles of Scilly Local Action Group

Contact: Amanda Pender
Organisation: Council of the Isles of Scilly
Tel: 01720 424312

South Devon Coastal Local Action Group
Contact: Cathy Heath/Liz Abell
Organisation: Devon Renaissance
Tel: 07860 773969 / 01837 658643
Website: www.ruraldevon.org/localaction

Greater Dartmoor Local Enterprise Action Fund

Contact: Liz Abell
Organisation: Devon Renaissance
Tel: 01837 658643
Website: www.ruraldevon.org/localaction

Forest of Dean Local Action Group

Contact: Neil Batt
Organisation: Forest of Dean District Council
Tel: 01594 812608

Plain Action (Salisbury Plain)

Contact: John Dowsett
Organisation: Community First, Devizes
Tel: 01380 722475
Website: www.plainaction.org.uk

Western Somerset Local Action Group

Contact: Anne-Marie Spalding
Organisation: Somerset County Council
Tel: 01823 355035 (Monday), 07887 951067 (Tuesday - Friday)
Website: www.somersetleader.org.uk

Making it Local (Blackdown Hills and East Devon)

Contact: Jenny Archard
Organisation: Blackdown Hill AONB
Tel: 01823 680626
Website: www.makingitlocal.org

Leader 4 Torridge and North Devon

Contact: Jenny Carey-Wood
Organisation: North Devon+
Tel: 01237 426423
Website: www.leader4.org

Somerset Levels and Moors Local Action Group

Contact: Dominie Dunbrook
Organisation: Somerset Levels & Moors LEADER+
Tel: 01458 251309

Sowing SEEDS (North Dorset/South Wilts)

Contact: Sarah Watson
Organisation: Dorset Squared
Tel: 01305 215227
Website: www.dorset2.co.uk

Chalk and Cheese (South and West Dorset)

Contact: Sarah Watson
Organisation: Dorset Squared
Tel: 01305 215227
Website: www.chalkandcheese.org

North Wessex Downs

Name: Corinna Woodall, LEADER Programme Manager
Organisation: North Wessex Downs LEADER Programme
Address: North Wessex Downs AONB office, Denford Manor, Hungerford, RG17 0UN.
Tel: 01488 680456
Web: www.northwessexleader.org.uk

Man selling his jams at a farmers market

Rural computer training