SOUTH DEVON COASTAL LOCAL ACTION GROUP

WATCH OUT FOR NEWS OF APPOINTMENT OF OUR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OFFICER!

The South Devon Coastal Local Action Group (SDCLAG) held an Open Meeting on 17th November to present the Local Action Group Funding Programme to the area under the following headings:- Part 1: Setting the Scene

Welcome and introduction to the evening John Yeoman

Local Action – what it is, and how we got here Alan Stapleton

Making a difference - vision and priorities Peter Sandover

Getting organised - what’s next Robin Toogood

Getting involved - developing the Local Action Group Amanda Bloomer

Part 2: Projects and funding

The project application process Liz Abell

Questions and answers to Local Action Group “panel” Panel

Closing comments John Yeoman

The meeting was hosted by the existing Local Action Group “steering group” volunteers who have over the last year undertaken the task of putting together the initial expression of interest, community consultation events, main bid document, delivery plan, budgets and practical arrangements has been undertaken by a “steering group” of volunteers who are as follows:

Alan Stapleton (Kingsbridge & Salcombe Area Partnership)

Amanda Bloomer (Kingsbridge Information Centre)

Carol Trant (South Hams Food and Drink)

Gill Claydon (Stokenham Parish & Salcombe Town Councils)

Jill Davies (South Hams Council for Voluntary Services)

John Yeoman (South Hams Agricultural Forum)

Lise Hunter (Business Link)

Jennifer Brogan (Devon Rural Network)

Peter Sandover (Kingsbridge & Salcombe Area Partnership)

Robin Toogood (South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty )

Tessa de Galleani (Dartmouth & District Chamber of Trade)

Tony Watson (South Devon Marine)

The group has been assisted in its work by:

Liz Abell (Devon Renaissance – our “Delivery Partner”)

Michael Cozens (South Hams District Council – our “Accountable Body”)

Ian Hague (South West of England Regional Development Agency – the funding provider)

During the evening the community was invited to endorse the existing steering groip members to continue in place as the initial Management Team and there was overwhelming support for this proposal. This now means that the group can continue move towards commencing operations as soon as audit approval is received.

The following is intended as guidance for interested parties and/or potential applicants but please do contact us to discuss any aspect in more detail.

The South Devon Coastal Local Action Group area

General notes on projects:

Projects must meet the essential criteria listed below.

	Essential	Desirable
Benefit the South Devon Coastal Local Action Group Area	P
Be of benefit to groups of businesses / communities, rather than individual businesses*	P
Help deliver at least one of the Strategic Aims (details below)	P
Achieve multiple objectives by progressing at least two of the four goals (below) of sustainable development 1. Social progress which meets the needs of everyone 2. Effective protection of the environment 3. Ensuring a diverse and prosperous rural economy 4. Careful use of natural resources	P
Have no negative impacts on any of the four goals of sustainable development	P
Deliver sustainable benefits that will continue beyond the life of the grant funding	P
Be innovative by providing new opportunities for this area or new ways of doing things that others can learn from	P
Demonstrate a willingness to work with others	P
Lever in other contributions from other sources including funding and “in kind” support (Note: “Only in exceptional circumstances should “in kind” make up than 10% of the project funding)	P
Have the support or involvement of communities, or be of wider value to the community	P
Have clearly defined outputs	P
Provide good value for money	P
Be realistic, deliverable and financially viable	P
Project partners must have a good track record of delivery and relevant expertise and skills	P
Fit in with local, regional or national strategies	P
Learn from what has gone before	P
Request at least £5,000*	P
Request no more than £100,000		P
Be unable to readily secure funding from other public sector sources		P
Bring organisations and people together to co-operate in tackling problems or promoting new ideas		P
Increase skills and potential within the community		P
Add value or a new sustainable development dimension to an existing project		P
Work across both the South Devon Coastal Area and other LAG areas		P

*The only exceptions to this are the specified small grants funds.

Below is a list of Strategic Aims and the activities within them which can be funded through this programme. Please note that the detailed information here acts simply as a general guide, as the European regulations regarding match funding and legitimate project activity are complex. Specific advice will be given on submission of a Project Outline.

Activity	Description	Typical Activity Examples of project activities that are eligible	Special Notes Projects are more likely to be funded if they demonstrate that they:	Approx Total Funds	Match Funding Target
Strategic Aim 1. Linking And Adapting Businesses For Improved Economic Performance
Promoting business development, adaptation and diversification	Helping businesses to become more productive and profitable. This will include a small grants fund into which individual businesses can apply to help them diversify.	Developing business networks / cooperatives Developing skills and providing training and mentoring Implementing and testing new equipment, ideas and technologies	Make businesses more competitive Get businesses to work together Offer higher level / technical skills Are environmentally sustainable Promote social enterprise as a business model	£200k	50% maximum from SDC LAG Match must include private sector
Strengthening supply chains and distribution networks	Encouraging businesses to work together and look to local sources of products and services.	Showing businesses the benefits of buying locally Encouraging businesses to work together by sharing promotion / marketing	Apply existing research, such as that from the New Economics Foundation Become financially self-sustaining	£100k	50% maximum from SDC LAG Match must include private sector
Strategic Aim 2. Sustaining Communities through Community Enterprise and Linked Service Provision
Developing multi-functional community facilities	Developing facilities that provide a range of different services for local communities. This will include a small grants fund into which communities can apply for funding.	Primarily capital funding Developing / enhancing community facilities such as community centres, village shops, etc. Developing networks of community facilities	Offer a blend of essential services and recreational activities which enables financial sustainability Are developed as businesses rather than subsidised services Provide services that attract young people	£200k	50% maximum from SDC LAG Match can be public or private
Providing new opportunities for recycling and waste reduction	Introducing recycling and waste management systems across businesses and communities.	Providing recycling facilities (beyond those already in place) Demonstrating the business benefit of recycling and managing waste	Use new ideas and the latest technologies Are carbon neutral Will share their experiences with others Promote environmental good practice	£50k	70% maximum from SDC LAG Match can be public or private
Providing access to services for local communities	Developing social, recreation and work opportunities within communities, so reducing travelling. Providing affordable ways of getting around and reaching local centres.	Developing local groups to fill the gaps in provision Using technology to bring services into communities New ways of tackling the poor transport infrastructure	Encourage co-operation between communities to provide the necessary critical mass Develop and extend existing successful initiatives Build social and work networks in communities	£150k	70% maximum from SDC LAG Match can be public or private
Promoting community-based initiatives for local food and produce	Promoting local food and produce and providing the means to match supply and demand.	Education and raising awareness about local food and produce Development ways to grow, distribute and / or procure local food.	Are original in their approach Work towards making communities self-sufficient. Build on the work of Food & Drink Devon	£150k	25% maximum from SDC LAG Match can be public or private
Strategic Aim 3. Marketing and Sustaining the Area’s Unique Selling Points
Promoting economic activity which is rooted in the area and its natural resources	Improving and making use of the natural resources in the area to bring economic rewards,	Enhancing land management, heritage buildings, sustainable tourism and / or marine skills. Development of a renewable energy cluster, focusing on suitable technologies.	Are co-operative in approach Link into the tourism sector Integrate new landowners and residents	£200k	50% maximum from SDC LAG Match can be public or private
Implementing small-scale environmental infrastructure improvements	Improving the physical environment whilst maintaining the quality of the area as a visitor destination as well as sustaining the quality of environment for local residents.	Coastal improvements to sites damaged by erosion / visitor pressure Community tree planting Enhancements to village and town public areas.	Leave an improved environment as a legacy which benefits the area for years to come Use new ideas and technologies to minimise negative environmental impact	£100k	25% maximum from SDC LAG Match can be public or private
Promoting countryside access for health, well being, and educational purposes	Developing a network of accessible countryside areas, where the landscape is respected and understood, in which the community can enjoy an improved quality of life.	Physical improvements to paths and routeways Promotional activities such as walking festivals and health walks Encouraging sustainable recreational use of sensitive environments	Link up the public and landowners Go beyond basic signposting. Make use of the support offered by Natural England to manage access-land	£100k	50% maximum from SDC LAG Match can be public or private
Modernising and upgrading visitor information and interpretation	Developing new approaches to visitor information, particularly where they introduce a new audience to resorts and visitor attractions.	Communicating with visitors and residents to provide well-informed enjoyment of the area Education of local businesses to promote visitor attractions Linkages between tourism and the local business community	Use up-to-date media to communicate Share promotion and marketing between communities and businesses Working co-operatively to be cost effective Develop means of ensuring activity remains current	£100k	70% maximum from SDC LAG Match can be public or private
Diversifying and extending the tourism “offer”	Increasing the length of the season and the range of tourist attractions. Improving the employment structure to ensure that satisfying work is fairly rewarded. Diversifying to generate new opportunities and respond to changing visitor demands.	Developing and promoting environmental courses, activity holidays, walking, cycling, boating, horse riding, bird watching, and arts and crafts Promoting and supporting events and local festivals Deriving enhanced value from green tourism for businesses	Linking a wider range of businesses in to benefit from tourism Catering to the widest possible range of visitors.	£100k	70% maximum from SDC LAG Match can be public or private
Strategic Aim 4. Building the Capacity to Deliver Rural Development Locally
Developing and maintaining opportunities for local participation in rural regeneration	Encouraging all members of the local community to get involved with the development of the area, by keeping them informed, providing appropriate training and opening up opportunities to take part in activities. This will include a small grants fund that can be used to help develop project ideas and carry out initial work to get projects started	Training local people to enable them to get involved in regeneration activity Encouraging and supporting local leadership Providing volunteering opportunities Helping to support existing parish initiatives identified through parish plans	Involve partners and members from all sectors of the community Distribute activity around the entire South Devon Coastal area Promote equal opportunities Encourage a culture of co-operation	£50k	100% maximum from SDC LAG

The flowchart below will explain the various stages from initial project idea to funding decision:-

If you would like more information about the Local Action Group please contact Alan Stapleton, Meadow Barn, East Portlemouth, Salcombe, TQ8 8PN, telephone 01548 843085, e-mail alanstapleton@btinternet.com .

If you would like to discuss a project idea, please contact Liz Abell at Devon Renaissance liz@ruraldevon.org telephone 01837 658643.

If you are interested in becoming involved with SDCLAG please consider the following ways:-

South Devon Coastal Local Action Group

Nomination Form

for membership of the LAG management team and project appraisal panel.

Would you like to get involved in the Local Action Group either as a member of the Management Team for the Local Action Group, or as an occasional “project appraiser”? We need your help!

Please complete this form and return it to Alan Stapleton

		√
Nomination for	membership of SDCLAG management team
Nomination for	membership of SDCLAG project appraisal panel
Your name
Your address
E-mail address
Organisation name
Sector (if any)	Voluntary sector
	Private sector
	Public sector
Your area of local knowledge/interest
Any special skills?	Community development
	Communications / PR
	Company management
	Contracts / business management
	Economic and business development
	Environmental management
	Financial management
	Public sector grants and funding
	Leadership and “advocacy”
	Legal
	Project appraisal
	Project management
	Risk and liability
	Other…..
	Other…..
Any relevant groups or committees you belong to

South Devon Coastal Local Action Group Membership Form for Local Organisations

The Local Action Group will shortly be established as a “Community Interest Company”. We hope it will be supported by a wide membership of local groups, organisations and businesses. Please use this form to register your organisation as a member of the LAG. Membership is free and there are no legal duties or liabilities.

Name of organisation/ business
Contact name
Contact address
E-mail address

Please complete this form and return it to Alan Stapleton:

Meadow Barn, East Portlemouth, Salcombe, TQ8 8PN, telephone 01548 843085,

Or e-mail the information to alanstapleton@btinternet.com .