Devon LAGs County Meeting minutes
Background
The Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) provides the framework for the delivery of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development from 2007 to 2013 in England. The RDPE has four priority-axes for rural development.
Three axes focus the delivery of the Programme:
Axis 1 - Improving competitiveness of the agricultural and forestry sectors – this is lead by the SWRDA and will consist largely of commissioned projects on a regional of sub regional scale, however their will be some scope for grant making on a smaller scale
Axis 2 - Improving the environment and the countryside – this will be lead by Natural England and the Forestry commission and will include Environmental Stewardship schemes.
Axis 3 - Improving the quality of life in rural areas and encouraging diversification of economic activity – this is lead by the RDA and will include a mixture of commissioned projects and grant making – half the money under this axis will be delivered through axis 4 Local Action.
In addition, 5% of the EU funding in the Programme budget will be delivered through the 'Leader approach' (Axis 4), which is a community based delivery mechanism.
The South West Regional Development Agency is responsible for delivering the Axes 1, 3 and 4 in South West England. Axis 2 will be delivered by Natural England and the Forestry Commission. This Axis accounts for 80% of the programme's funding.
Budget
The budget for the delivery of Axes 1, 3 and 4 in the South West is £152.5 million over the Programme period. Of this amount, £55 million has been reserved for investments benefiting Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in recognition of its status as a Convergence area.
Local Action (Leader)
Devon was successful with the 4 bids that were submitted to the RDA in August, therefore there are 4 LAG's in Devon
Greater Dartmoor Local Enterprise Action Fund (LEAF) £1.8m - covering the whole of Dartmoor National Park, the whole of West Devon, and the parts of South Hams and Teignbridge that fringe Dartmoor (including Totnes). Please contact Liz Abell at Devon Renaissance for further information. DRN has commissioned a map showing all of the parishes included under this project.
South Devon Coastal Local Action Group £1.8m - covering the remainder of South Hams not included in Greater Dartmoor area. For further information please contact Cathy Heath. DRN has commissioned a map showing all of the parished included under this project.
Leader 4 Torridge and North Devon £3.8m - covering the rural parishes of North Devon and Torridge, including the landscape designations of the North Devon AONB, Biosphere Reserve and parts of Exmoor National Park, and excluding the central wards of Barnstaple. For more information, please contact Jenny Carey-Wood at North Devon+. DRN has commissioned a map showing all of the parishes included under this project.
Making it Local LAG £2.4m - covering the Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon AONB and the market and coastal towns of Wellington, Chard, Axminster, Seaton, Sidmouth, Budleigh Salterton, Ottery St Mary and Honiton. This includes parishes from East Devon, Mid Devon, Taunton Deane and South Somerset. Please contact Mel Sealey at Blackdown Hills AONB for further information. DRN has commissioned a map showing all of the parishes included under this project.
Map of Devon showing all 4 LAGs, detailing parishes included with LAG boundaries. If you would like a hard copy of this or any of the other maps, please contact the DRN team.
Project Development Support
Devon County Council with support from partners has secured RDPE funding until 2011 for a Project Development Worker. This person will be there to support applicants to Axis 1 and Measure 311 of Axis 3 (diversification). Recruitment is currently taking place and more details will follow in the new year.
A workshop was recently run for those who advise farmers and landowners on a regular basis, the idea was to arm people with as much information as possible. You will find links to the presentations from SWRDA, SWREG and Woodland Renaissance below:
Presentation - SWRDA
Presentation - SWREG overview
Presentation - Woodland Renaissance
For more details you can visit the following websites
South West RDA - http://www.southwestrda.org.uk/what-we-do/regeneration/eafrd/introduction.shtm
SWREG - http://www.sw-ruralgateway.info/
Devon LAGs County Meeting minutes
2nd February 2009
Meeting Minutes 2nd Feb 2009
DEFAN job descriptions pdf
Devon Food Infrastructure final report pdf
food and drink sector support activities pdf
RE4D current support Feb 2009
4th August 2009
Meeting Minutes 4th August 2009
Presentation - Community Buildings (David Kinross Community Council for Devon)
Presentation - Community Assests and Investment (Paul Sander Jackson Wessex Reinvestment Trust)
Workshop 1 notes - Community Buildings
Workshop 2 notes Community Investment
Meeting notes - Jenny Carey Wood