Forth Valley & Lomond LEADER Rural Communities Event Stirling Council Chambers 12 July 2014

1.Introduction 2.Progress since March 2014 Community Event 3.What will LEADER money be spent on? (Local Development Strategy) 4.How will LEADER money be spent? (Business Plan) - Approaches to allocating funds - LAG membership - Co-operation projects 5.Next Steps

1. Introduction

What is LEADER? It’s a method of delivering rural development It’s called Community Led Local Development It’s about ‘animation’ of a ‘territory’ for an agreed purpose It develops the rural economy It covers the economic, the community and the environmental It’s 5% of the Scottish Rural Development Programme So, EU+Scottish Government money

7 Features of LEADER

LEADER In Our Area? We have had 3 LEADER Programmes in this area Boundaries have changed and coverage has gradually increased Last programme closed end Dec 2013 We fully allocated our £3.7 million To 131 very varied community projects They all met the objectives of our Local Development Strategy

AOCB

New Programme Will run from 2015 – 2020 Will have slightly different boundaries Will ‘probably’ have a smaller core budget Will have additional funds for Rural Businesses Greater emphasis on Economic Benefit Will need to be ‘governed’ by a tighter Rural Development Strategy and not viewed as a community grants scheme

2. Progress since March 2014 Community Event

Local Development Strategy for Our bid for European/Scottish Government money. Draft submitted, general feedback received Gives us focus for WHAT the money will be spent on It includes: Information about area SWOT Links with national and local strategies Strategic objectives and expected impact of LEADER funds Co-operation with other areas -Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park wide projects -Joint Projects with Kelvin + Falkirk -Joint projects with other parts of the EU?

* Additions to SWOT from March 2014 Community Event 2014 * Additions to Strategic Objectives from March 2014 Community Event (approved by Stakeholder Group)

3. WHAT will LEADER money be spent on?

1.Strengthen our Rural Economy 2.Build More Sustainable Communities 3.Build Community Resilience 4.Increase the Understanding of, and Access to, our Natural and Cultural Heritage Environment 5.Realise the Economic Potential of our Strategic Landscape Assets

4. HOW will LEADER money be spent?

Likely Budget?

Approaches to Funding Allocations Spatial Targeting/Joining up of Projects Themed Grant Schemes (eg Sustainable Tourism) LAG Commissioned Projects –As they emerge? –Decided in advance? Challenge Fund (ie open to everyone)

New LAG Membership A minimum of 51% of membership must be community or non-agency Recruitment must be open and transparent Recruitment should be based on skills required and areas covered Numbers will need to be manageable (ie able to fit in a meeting room!) Quorum on decisions needs to reflect 51% rule

Skills/Experience Required? Economic DevelopmentEnvironmental Policy Business Development, PlanningEnvironmental Action Community DevelopmentRenewable Energy Community GroupFinancial Management Tourism PolicyYouth Issues Tourism BusinessGender Issues Social EnterpriseOther Funders Food & DrinkSkills Development & training Developing a LEADER projectManaging a Construction project Other BusinessEuropean Policy Community Ownership of Public AssetsAccess Projects Scottish Government funding

Recruitment of New LAG Members Application Process Recruitment Advertised Geographic Spread Skills Matrix Application Process Open from mid August Big time commitment (exp. meeting 4 times a year + subgroup meetings + reading applications + scoring)

“Co-operation” Funds for Preparatory Costs & for Project Delivery (1% and 10% minimum of total FVL budget respectively) ‘inter-regional’ – mostly with neighbouring LAGs e.g. National Park; Inner Forth ‘transnational’ – with UK and EU New process being discussed where applicant submits claim to ONE body Ideas: ANY CURRENT IDEAS FOR CO- OPERATION PROJECTS IN SCOTLAND OR EU?

Next steps… First draft of Business Plan to be submitted 15 August 2014 Final draft of both documents by 30 September 2014 Area budget allocations December 2014 LEADER Programme starts 1 January 2015 First applications considered – March 2015?? Stakeholder group overseeing process