Fieldfare Winchester and East Hampshire LEADER funding bid

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FieldfareWinchester and East Hampshire LEADER
funding bid
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid
Supported by
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Introduction
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• Fieldfare Local Action Group spans Winchester and
  East Hampshire districts
• strong support from the local authorities
• commitment to rural economy and community
• first time Winchester has been eligible for
  LEADER funding

Supported by
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The Fieldfare area
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid
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The Fieldfare area
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• rural areas of Winchester and East Hampshire
• boundary with urban areas, including PUSH
• includes
• a) part of proposed South Downs National Park
• b) Royal Forest of Bere and Waltham Chase
• c) 83,209 hectares of farm land, predominantly
  cereals, cattle and sheep
• d) 18,000 hectares of forestry and trees

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Fieldfare Local Action Group
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• established following open meeting of identified
• stakeholders in Wickham
• originally small area of southern Winchester
• district
• expanded to current shape after expression of
• interest stage more viable, more potential

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Fieldfare Local Action Group
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• high degree of engagement from outset
• membership 50 private sector 12.5 voluntary
  sector 37.5 public sector
• promotion via parish newsletters, sector
  networks, council publications, individual
  approaches
• meetings timed for maximum attendance
• farming and forestry industries directly
  represented

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Local Development Strategy
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• all LAG meetings based on workshop format to
  ensure maximum input from stakeholders
• key issues identified by members and used as
  basis for five themes of LDS
• consensus on coherence of Winchester / East Hants
  area and logic of joint working

Supported by
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Key Issues Farming
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• 1,539 farm holdings
• 2,843 people employed
• need to add value to farm products
• need continued assistance with diversification
• environmental issues also present opportunities
• innovative practices being developed

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Key Issues Forestry
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• almost 50 tree cover is ancient woodland
• increase in total woodland over 50 years
• reduction in coppicing to 5 of woodlands
• need to establish diverse markets for woodland
  products, to sustain both forestry sector and
  biodiversity of area
• eg wood fuel, leisure activities, crafts

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Fieldfare Themes
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• agricultural and forestry business development
• support for rural communities
• quality rural tourism offer
• enterprise and skills development
• value of the physical environment

Sustainability
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Agricultural and forestry development
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• Projects could be based around
• exploiting market opportunities
• adding value to products
• supporting business development
• For example
• seed processing plant to add value to locally
  produced crops

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Support for rural communities
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• Projects could be based around
• sustainable facilities
• capacity building
• link with community planning
• For example
• development of community hubs to provide local
  access to a range of services

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Quality rural tourism offer
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• Projects could be based around
• links between local population and
  tourism/leisure offer
• increasing visitor spend
• informing residents about traditional crafts
• farm and forestry diversification
• For example
• trails and web-based itineraries linking
  clusters of villages and features

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Enterprise and skills development
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• Projects could be based around
• sustainable infrastructure of support for small,
  rural businesses
• business collaboration
• For example
• collaborative project with neighbouring LAGs to
  provide workshops to help develop renewable
  energy supplies

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Value of the physical environment
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• Projects could be based around
• high quality assets of culture, heritage and
  landscape
• traditional craft skills such as coppicing, hedge
  laying, hurdling and conservation grazing
• For example
• review of ancient and ancient semi natural
  woodland inventory over the LAG area potential
  for joint working with other LAGs

Supported by
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Sustainability
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• Underpins the LDS
• environmental, economic, social sustainability
• long term business viability
• reducing carbon footprints
• opportunities for business development using new
  technologies
• Proposals could include
• collaborative, international project to create a
  local Bio Gas plant

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Strategic Fit
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• local strategies
• community strategies
• corporate strategies
• tourism and economic development
• Hampshire Strategic Partnership
• Local Area Agreement
• Hampshire Economic Partnership

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Strategic Fit
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• regional strategies
• SEEDA RES
• South East Rural Delivery Framework
• forestry and woodlands framework for South East
  England
• national strategies
• RDPE
• rural economy paper 2003

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The Accountable Body
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• Winchester City Council has
• existing support structure and expertise
• proven ability to manage financial procedures
• ability to make salary and project payments
• Cabinet endorsement for LEADER bid
• resources to advise on other sources of match
  funding

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Staffing
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• a) Programme manager (full time)
• jointly managed by LAG chair and WCC
• overall responsibility for programme delivery
• ensure smooth running of the LAG
• attract and work with projects
• monitor projects and report on progress

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Staffing
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• b) Finance officer (part time)
• returns to SEEDA
• contacts and payments
• hosted within WCC finance team
• c) Programme administrator (part time)
• supporting role including administration
• production of reports and paperwork
• web content

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Project Selection Process
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• support for applicants from programme manager
  throughout process
• ensure project meets SEEDAs requirements
• outline proposal assessed by LAG sub group
• full application assessed by LAG sub group
• LAG to test project against themes and RDPE
  measures
• monitoring throughout life of project

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Spend Profile
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• 2,250,000 over LEADER period
• administration and facilitation costs lt20
• spend profile reflects changing role of LAG

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Exit Strategy
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• LAG
• continued use of structure and relationships
• future funding sources
• Projects
• LEADER funding pump priming
• time limited
• sustainable business

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Risks
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• project risks
• not meeting requirements
• poorly received
• LAG
• low involvement of members
• failing to assess projects adequately
• staff
• failing to achieve set work programme
• funding
• insufficient funding at appropriate stage of
  delivery

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Publicity and Communications
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• Channels
• cost-effective use of internet and e-comms
• industry and specialist publications
• local media eg newspapers, radio, television
• Messages
• recruitment of LAG and community consultation
• call for project proposals
• project progress and successes
• monitoring and exit strategies

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Monitoring and Evaluation
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• LAG performance
• AGM
• local authority scrutiny panel
• Programme staff
• line management by Winchester City Council and
  chair of LAG, including annual appraisal process
• Project outcomes

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Diversity
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• commitment to reach on hard-to-engage groups
• best practice approach adopted
• targeted communications
• physical access issues considered
• vary times and locations of LAG meetings
• awareness of language translation needs
• equality impact assessments on project proposals

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Self Scoring
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• 1. Appropriate partnership 4
• 2. Coherence of area 4
• 3. Quality of Local Development Strategy 4
• 4. Financial and administration capacity 4
• 5. Fit with national programme 4
• 6. Integration of sustainable development
  principles 3
• 7. Commitment to integration 4
• 8. Commitment to co-operation 3
• 9. Alignment with local/regional strategies 4
• 10. RDPE address needs of area 3
• 11. Skills/LAG members 4
• 12. Exit strategy 3

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Summary
Fieldfare LEADER funding bid

• 2,250,000 over LEADER period
• established and motivated LAG
• support from local authorities and other partner
  organisations
• clear focus on forestry, farming and rural
  economy
• LEADER funding can make a real difference

Supported by