Fifteen rural partnerships across South West England are celebrating this week following the news that they have been awarded significant funding from the Local Action fund for rural communities. The groups submitted their strategies back in May, with projects ranging from tackling economic decline in their areas to mitigating the effects of climate change, and from improving links between sparse rural areas and market towns to renewable energy initiatives. Local Action is a competitive fund - part of the EU and Defra-funded Rural Development Programme (England) - for community partnerships seeking funds to bring about lasting improvements to the life and economy of their towns and villages. “We are delighted with the outcome of this selection because the successful bids have come from right across the region - from the Isles of Scilly to Portland in the east and the Forest of Dean in the north,” said Bruce Douglas, rural operations and delivery manager at the South West Regional Development Agency, which manages the fund. It means that there will be some innovative and long-term plans going ahead that will benefit both local communities and the whole region. ”

Weblink

4 August 2008
© RISE