RDPE Programmes Launched
Staffordshire County Council has recently signed AWM funding agreements to deliver RDPE funding across Staffordshire’s rural areas. The Communities Mean Business LEADER programme will support community capacity building activities in rural Stafford Borough and non peak parts of Staffordshire Moorlands. Funding of £1.4m is available and an applicants workshop was being held on 7th October where initial project ideas can be discussed with potential applicants.
The Communities Mean Business Local Action Group made it's first investment decision at it's meeting 15th October for the Strengthening Rural Communities Initiative. This innovative initiative underpins the LEADER approach to will empower community groups to develop their project ideas for RDPE funding and also help to identify skills and build capacity within their organisations to enable them to access other funding streams. The project will be taken forward by Staffordshire Moorlands CVS and the Community Council for Staffordshire and funding workshops are planned before Christmas (2009)
Welcome to the Countryside is a regional rural tourism marketing initiative for each of the regions’ Destination Management Partnerships. Staffordshire County Council is the accountable body for RDPE funding of £750,000 which will support bespoke activities promoting rural tourism activities including market towns and festivals.
Two further RDPE bids are being developed. A regional Wheels to Work programme again co-ordinated through Staffs County Council providing transport solutions (moped hire, cycle loans etc) to allow people in remote rural communities access jobs a and training opportunities. Staffordshire Environmental Quality Mark and Peak Park Marketing initiative is also under development promoting environmental sustainability amongst rural tourism business. Both projects should be approved and running early 2010.
In addition RDPE funding is directly supporting farmers and rural businesses through the Rural Enterprise Grant and the activities of Staffordshire Rural Hub. To date 8 Staffordshire projects have been approved. Three project development workers are active in Staffordshire developiung new applications for future applications to REG.