News

NEWS UPDATE as of 22nd December 2009

The proposed increase of LEADER intervention rate to 90%

The Scottish Government confirmed their intention to increase the LEADER intervention rate to 90% for a trial oneyear commencing January 2010. The intervention rate will not be set at 90% but rates up to 90% can potentially be offered, at the discretion of the Local Action Group. However, in Highland the LEADER programme forms part of a merged LEADER/Convergence fund and as such grant rates will not be changed until such time as the Scottish Government confirm if the Programme can continue with or has to de-couple its LEADER/Convergence programme. Existing rates of 40-45% will continue to be offered until the above points are clarified.

The change to convergence match funding rates.

Convergence rates are likely to increase from 35% to 50% once agreed with EU. Again issues regarding continuing with a merged programme will need to be clarified with the Scottish Government before the increased rate can be offered.

The transfer of Measures Code 321(Facilities and Services) and Code 341 (local development strategies) from SRDP Rural Priorities to Leader.

The Scottish Government has indicated that it intends to move the delivery of two options from Rural Priorities to LEADER.

• Collaborative Local Development Strategies and
• Community Services and Facilities

European approval is required for such a change. The last reported position was that European approval was likely to have been granted for the delivery change for the Collaborative Local Development Strategy option but although approval would be sought from Europe to change the delivery mechanism of the Community Services and Facility option the necessary administrative arrangements required to obtain this approval were still in process

Local Development Strategies

Measure Code 341 is with the EU and is likely to be approved in early January although the funds available under this measure are likely to be small.

Community Service and Facilities Option (CSF)

Community groups were advised through a message on the SRDP website on the 6th October that following the Regional Proposal Assessment Committees (RPACs) sitting in November 2009, all future projects would be assessed by LEADER Local Action Groups (LAGs). Applicants who were working through the process were advised that their projects had effectively been 'red lighted' and they were referred to the LEADER websites for further information. This information was also displayed at the top of the Community Service and Faculties option on the Scottish Government's SRDP web pages.

On the 17th November 2009 it was announced that, in response to concerns expressed by stakeholders, a transitional period was required and that Community Services and Facilities (CSF) funding applications would continue to be accepted and progressed by the Regional Proposal Assessment Committees (RPACs) under Rural Priorities. Following the Ministerial announcements in September and November it has been confirmed that the grant rate for CSF had been increased from 50% to 90%.
Applicants were asked to note that, ' as previously announced, the November 2009 RPACs will consider CSF projects as usual. The statement also confirmed that projects containing CSF options which meet the appropriate January 2010 deadlines and information requirements can be assessed at the RPACs scheduled for March 2010. Projects still in development should continue to follow Rural Priorities guidance and timescales, in consultation with Case Officers. Details on the arrangements for assessment beyond the March RPACs will be announced in due course.'

The dates for the next RPACs have been finalised for March 2010.

Rural Priorities Assessment Round - Spring 2010

Cut off for submitted cases * 4pm 11 January

Cut off for committed cases ** 4pm 29 January

RPAC meetings 15-26 March

Until such time as the above points are clarified the Highland LEADER programme will continue to operate as normal offering grant rates of between 40-45%. As soon as we have any further information we will highlight this on the Highland LEADER web site and amend our programme accordingly.