1. www.sommenbygd.nu This is me ! Roger Silfver from the Leader area Sommenbygd in Sweden. Active in Leader since 1996. LAG chairman in Leader II Former project manager Leader+ Since 2004 responsible for transnational & interregional projects Main Goal : To keep on fighting the “LAW OF JANTE” E-mail : roger.silfver@sommenbygd.nu Mobile: +46 706 376 684roger.silfver@sommenbygd.nu

2. www.sommenbygd.nu Sommenbygd where is it ???? In South East of Sweden Area 3 802 km/2 50 400 Inhabitants 7 Municipalities 2 Countys 40 Parrishs

3. www.sommenbygd.nu Governance of Leader + Sweden Swedish National Rural Development Agency  Carrying out implementation of Leader+ I Sweden Swedish Board of Agriculture  Official decision making body, responsible for Eu: funding Leader+ Network  Cooperation and collaboration between LAG:s in Sweden and Europe

4. www.sommenbygd.nu The Local Action Group LAG- Sommenbygd A non profit association – Local Action Group of Sommenbygd LAG – group consists of 29 members: 7. community representatives - The chairmen of the municipality boards 6. rural enterprises - representatives from local enterprises and business advisers 6. local development groups - grassroots – local level- ordinary people. 5. youth representatives ( under 25 years) 5. regional authorities & other actors ( not decision makers )

5. www.sommenbygd.nu Traditional Governance in Sweden Traditional central top down system. The government sends rural development money to the County Government County government officials finance themselves. Then projects they think are important for the county. County government makes a “ rural development plan “ No money to develop much more but the plan itself, evaluation and a few seminars A local development group can get 600 €/year in so called Village seed money

6. www.sommenbygd.nu Governance of Leader + in Sommenbygd LAG's local development plan is written in cooperation with “ordinary” local people LAG invites groups and individuals to apply for financial support for new and innovative rural development ideas LAG's creates action with support for local projects that meets the plan Local people co finance with voluntary work Leader is like “start gas” for local processes

7. www.sommenbygd.nu Private thoughts about future governance If Leader goes from pilot project to common over all practise Important to keep the small Leader areas and Lag's Establish local partnerships nation wide Create sub regions in the Leader areas encourage establishing of local “ Mini Lag's “ Allow the “Mini Lag's” to nominate their own representatives into main LAG Employ rural development workers to support local ideas and individual initiatives More of training activities to raise awareness of Leaders possibilities Separate the administration from project development department