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Overview

Scotland National Rural Network South Lanarkshire Event 24 March 2010 Update on Rural Priorities Keith Wishart, Chair, Clyde Valley RPAC. Overview. SRDP Rural Priorities RP / LEADER Regional Priorities Examples of Community Projects. SRDP. The Scottish Rural Development Programme

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Overview

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  1. Scotland National Rural NetworkSouth Lanarkshire Event 24 March 2010Update on Rural PrioritiesKeith Wishart, Chair, Clyde Valley RPAC

  2. Overview • SRDP • Rural Priorities • RP / LEADER • Regional Priorities • Examples of Community Projects

  3. SRDP • The Scottish Rural Development Programme • £1.6 billion programme of economic, environmental and social measures • Designed to develop rural Scotland over the next six years. • Individuals and groups can seek support to help deliver the Government's strategic objectives in rural Scotland: • Business viability and competitiveness • Environmental improvements (water / climate change / landscape and biodiversity) • Thriving rural communities

  4. Rural Priorities: • one of the key funding mechanisms within SRDP. • covers approximately 40% of programme – i.e. over £600 million. • combines previous rural funding programmes (RPID, FCS and SNH). • is competitive. • is delivered through a regional structure - 11 regions • South Lanarkshire falls within the Clyde Valley region. • Funding decisions by the Clyde Valley RPAC (Regional Proposal Assessment Committee) • RPAC membership from FCS, SNH, RPID, SEPA, Scottish Enterprise and local authorities. • RPAC meets every 4 months or so.

  5. Rural Priorities / LEADER • There are overlaps between RP and LEADER. • No single rule of thumb on which funding route is appropriate – depends on project, location and applicant type. • However, generally LEADER is best for: • smaller projects (less competition and unlikely to score well in rural priorities), • projects which involve employing project staff, • feasibility studies • projects involving training. • Advice available from Rural Direct, LEADER programme managers and Rural Priority case officers. • David Galloway from FCS is an RP case officer in the Clyde Valley RPAC.

  6. RPAC Regional Priorities • Each RPAC sets its own regional priorities for projects it wishes to fund (although in truth at present these are very similar across the country). These cover: • Business Viability and Competitiveness (Priority 1-7) • Biodiversity (Priority 8-12) • Landscape (Priority 13-14) • Built & Cultural Heritage (Priority 15) • Water and Soils (Priority 16-20) • Adaptations to Mitigate Climate Change (Priority 21-24) • Public Access (Priority 25) • Diversification of Rural Enterprise (Priority 26-30) • Thriving Rural Communities (Priority 31-32) • It is likely that the priorities will be reviewed and revised over the coming year.

  7. Main Community Priorities • The latter 2 priorities which will probably be of the most interest. These can provide funding for, for example: • Developing community buildings and facilities • Meeting service needs identified through community planning • Taking over community-led services from other public sector providers • Helping build capacity in community groups to deliver local projects • Support wider access to cultural events and activities • The other priority which may be most relevant is that relating to Public Access which offers funding for the creation, improvement and promotion of paths and related facilities (such as car parking, toilets etc).

  8. SRDP Review & Improvement • SRDP reviewed in 2009 (Cook Report). • Improvements Include: • Applicants bypass the first stage of the process – SoI bypass • Ongoing approval of most forestry cases • More realistic timescales for submission and assessment of applications • Centres of Expertise – Historic Environment and Rural Communities. • Quicker notification to applicants of decisions via email. • Increase in the maximum rate of grant for the community services and facilities option from 50% to 90%. Consideration is still being given to transferring this option from Rural Priorities to LEADER.

  9. Clyde RPAC progress to date • 382 SOI’s received, approx 65% within South Lanarkshire. • Around 75% of SOIs given ‘amber’ rating – proceed to next stage. • Most applications from traditional rural industries, • support to farm and forestry businesses to help them to diversify, • agri-environment measures. • Relatively few applications in the rural communities (22) and public access (21) priorities. • Issues with scheme complexity, online application process and difficulties in getting match funding (now addressed through increases in maximum funding rates). • 6 RPAC rounds since August 2008. • To date, the Clyde RPAC has approved approximately £3.2 million of expenditure across the whole region. A further £7M to be considered at the next round on April 27th.

  10. Clyde RPAC progress to Date • The majority of projects supported in Clyde Valley fall into one of the following categories: • Farm buildings • Slurry storage • Biodiversity / Agri-environment • Woodland creation and restructuring • Improving the condition of Sites of Special Scientific Interest • Footpath creation and upgrade • Development of Renewable Energy projects (woodfuel boilers, district heating schemes, wind turbines)

  11. Community Project Examples • One Stop Shop Project, Coalburn, South Lanarkshire • bringing together community services, social clubs, education and training facilities • awarded £38,727. • Access improvements to community hall • enables people to gain easier access to these services, alongside the local post office and farm shop. • Fintry Sports Club Extension, Stirling • enhancing community facility by increasing its capacity and flexibility. • improving the efficiency of the heating system. • Kippen Sports Field, Stirling • proposal was to level the football pitch, • laying a running track • installing a sustainable drainage system • allows the facility to be used year round.

  12. Community Projects • The number of community projects through RP has been low. • Primarily because of the difficulty in securing match funding. • The increase to 90% will see more applications coming forward. • Around 100 communities projects coming to the various RPACs around Scotland in April 2010. • Regardless of whether these projects are funded via Rural Priorities or LEADER in future, the key message is that funding support will continue to be available for good projects

  13. Questions www.scotland.gov.uk/srdp www.forestry.gov.uk

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