LEADER stands for Liason Entre Actions pour le Développement de L'Economie Rurale - links between actions for the development of the rural economy.
LEADER+ is a European Community Initiative supporting small-scale, innovative projects addressing local rural development issues. It aims to involve local communities in developing and testing new approaches to integrated and sustainable development and is intended to complement the England Rural Development Plan (ERDP).
Three main activities ('actions') may be supported under LEADER+:
Action 1 - integrated, innovative rural development strategies.
Action 2 - co-operation with groups nationally and transnationally operating to the LEADER approach.
Action 3 - networking with other local action groups and other rural development organisations.
The value of the programme in the UK is £64.2 million.
LEADER + in the East of England
Two schemes were approved in January 2002 and will run until 2006, they are:
The Broads and Rivers LEADER+ Scheme will cost £3m with £1.35 million coming from the European Union (EU), £0.3 million from DEFRA, £1.05 million from other public sources and £0.3 million from the private sector.
It is built around the themes, "The use of know how and new technologies to make products and services of rural areas more competitive" and "Making the best use of the natural and cultural resources, including enhancing the value of Community interest selected under NATURA 2000".
The scheme aims to:
1. Revive traditional skills that are at present in decline, such as reed cutting and wind powered drainage management that will deliver environmental benefits and enhance the tourism appeal of the area.
2. Ensure that the right balance between economic development and protection of the environment are maintained
3. Encourage sustainable natural resource management including the use of renewable energy
4. Minimise damage to the natural environment caused by intense tourism activity, by supporting the development of new technology in the design and powering of boating craft, in land management practices and in the development of renewable energy resources.
5. Improve links between market towns and the surrounding areas to increase job opportunities and increase rural service provision.
The target group chosen is the under/unemployed who work in the poorly paid tourism industry, which provides work of a seasonal nature, or in agriculture which is in decline.
The Fenlands LeAP scheme is built around the theme "Improving the Quality of Life in Rural Areas" by improving access to services and helping everyone to achieve their full potential. The total financial cost of the scheme is £3 million, with £1.5 million coming from the EU, £0.265 million from Defra, £1.15 million from other public sources and £0.082 million from the private sector. The area covered by the scheme is 1075km² of Cambridgeshire and the West Norfolk Fenlands with a population of 101,260 inhabiting this isolating and remote environment.
The scheme aims to:
1. Deliver innovative solutions in developing outreach work and improving access to services, information and opportunities for local young people and older adults.
2. Develop multi use of local facilities where this will improve access to services, information, leisure and employment opportunities
3. Increase the effectiveness of local leadership and community capacity in identifying and tackling rural needs
4. Increase awareness of opportunities in the world of work and education, raising confidence levels
5. Develop effective and innovative communication systems to tackle rural isolation and poor communication, linking disparate communities
6. Involving communities to share best practice and experience across UK and European LEADER networks and candidate countries
The target groups chosen are younger people (11-25) and older people (over 55) as younger people are crucial to the development of the area. Both groups are affected by problems of access to jobs and services and have low aspirations, all of which the scheme aims to address through the measures above.
LEADER + Action Groups
Details can be accessed using the links provided below
Mid Term Evaluation
The Mid-Term Evaluation (MTE), completed in 2003 was undertaken to establish how well the programme is delivering what it set out to deliver; test the continued relevance of programme strategy and recommend any action necessary to improve programme quality and performance. The MTE Final Report can be viewed/downloaded using the link provided below.
