Winchester

1
Winchester East Hampshire LEADER Local Action
Group
2
What is LEADER?

• A locally led approach which will support a range
  of schemes in rural areas
• Jointly funded grant aid programme provided by
  the EU the UK Government through Local Action
  Groups
• 2.25m allocated to Fieldfare LAG for 2008 Dec
  2013
• A partnership between Winchester City Council
  the accountable body, East Hampshire District
  Council and the LAG governing group

3
Where does it exist?

• Winchester City Council not including the City
  wards
• East Hampshire District Council not including
  Alton, Whitehill Bordon, Petersfield and
  Horndean
• 14 Local Action Groups across the South East
• Also include South Downs Low Weald, Three
  Harbours, Loddon Eversley, New Forest, Surrey
  Hills

4
Grant aid for the tourism sector

• Maximum grant value 50k
• 40 - 100 grant aid support depends on
  commercial activity
• Support from the LEADER project staff Council
  Economic Development/Tourism teams

5
What do I need to demonstrate?

• Existing tourism enterprise in a rural area or a
  tourism related organisation, or persons wishing
  to set up a new rural tourism enterprise
• Financial capacity to undertake the project the
  management skills to deliver it
• Financial business viability
• Provision to bank roll grant payments are
  made in arrears

6
What projects are the LAG looking for?

• Networking, collaboration better links between
  tourism related businesses working together
• More effective use of ICT
• Improvements in environmental practices
• Rural employment opportunities
• Green tourism initiatives

7
Examples/needs

• Development of high quality hostel type
  accommodation, camping/caravanning, facilities
  with bike stores, stables drying facilities
• Rural pub accommodation offering local food
  produce
• Promotion of cyclists welcome schemes
• Development of visitor trails web based
  itineraries - linking clusters of villages, local
  food, visitor attractions, local cultural events
  etc
• Encouragement of longer stays reduction in
  seasonality
• Provision of eco-friendly experiences
• Food tourism links networks

8
What type of projects will you fund?

• Small scale capital provision upgrades
• Marketing, web based initiatives
• Networking collaboration work
• Development of cluster initiatives to meet
  visitor needs
• Development of green tourism
• Promotion of activities specifically linked to
  local food rural crafts
• Provision of IT systems used to improve
  dissemination of visitor information booking
  arrangements
• Investment in long distance walking, national
  cycle riding routes
• Small scale infrastructure for interpretation
  information

9
How to apply

• Complete an Expression of Interest EOI
• LAG Appraisal panel consider your project
• Invited to complete full application
• Independently appraised
• Verified by SEEDA
• Grant aid with contract

10
Who do I contact to find out more, to apply, for
help support?

• Me!
• KBrown_at_winchester.gov.uk
• 01962 848588
• www.winchester.gov.uk/leaderfunding
• http//www.easthants.gov.uk/edo/edo.nsf/webpages/L
  EADERFunding