The long wait for the successor to the WHELK LEADER+ Programme is finally over. Scottish Government ministers announced on 10th. March 08 that the Argyll and the Islands Local Action Group has been awarded £2,330,000 to implement the new LEADER Programme within its area.
Argyll and the Islands LEADER will make funding available to communities within Argyll and Bute and Arran and the Cumbraes for new and innovative projects which contribute to the themes Revitalising Communities and Progressive Rural Economy.
The Programme will open in April 2008. Initial enquiries can be made to Project Coordinators
Lorna Elliott, 01631 563 013, lorna.elliott@argyll-
Sheila McLean, 01631 564 424, sheila.mclean@argyll-
The next LAG Meeting will be held in Argyll and Bute Council Chambers, Kilmory, Lochgilphead on the 28th March from 10.30 till 15.30.
Part of the meeting will include a presentation by the Scottish Government’s Rural Communities LEADER Team on capacity building for LAGs.
Download record of LAG meetings minutes on pdf
A full list of successful LAG bids to the 2007-
Argyll and the Islands is a complex and diverse rural area reaching from the Hebridean island of Tiree in the Atlantic west to the suburbs of Helensburgh in the east; from Appin in the north to the Island of Arran in the south. With 31 inhabited islands and a highly dispersed population, the area presents significant challenges in terms of accessibility, integration and development to its inhabitants.
Geography: Argyll and the Islands has a land area of approximately 738797 hectares and an average population density of 0.13 persons per hectare. 99.3% of Argyll and the Islands land area is classified as being rural. Arran & the Cumbraes are also classed as remote rural. Travel time within the area is high, compared to other parts of the UK, due to heavily indented coastlines, mountainous terrain, islands, single track roads and generally poor transport links.
Economy: The main industries are tourism, agriculture, forestry, aquaculture, fishing and service provision. The public sector is a major employer. Whisky production is very important to some local economies within the area. The provision of care is also becoming a significant industry.
The Environment: The area has an outstanding natural environment, containing mountains, forests, sea lochs, freshwater lochs, rivers, beaches, islands, glens and moors all with abundant wildlife. A high percentage of these areas have UK or EU protected site status, all of the highest environmental quality, giving the area the highest level of biodiversity of any UK region.
Population: The population of the LAG area is approx. 83,000. There is a higher proportion of the population over 45 than the national average and lower proportion of the population in the 16 – 29 age range.
17.4% of the population does not live in a settlement (a cluster of 6 or more households) and 17.4% live on one of the 31 inhabited islands, only one of which is connected to the mainland by a bridge.
The Argyll and the Islands LEADER Programme is a rural development programme that will run in Argyll and the Islands for a period of five years beginning in April 2008.
It is hoped that this programme may inspire local individuals and groups to take the first steps on a road that will lead to real improvements in everyday living within their communities. That this in turn will be an inspiration to others who wish to see these improvements reflected in their own lives and communities.
This development programme was preceded by WHELK LEADER+, a funding programme that ran from 2000 to 2006. The WHELK web site can still be viewed at www.whelk.org.uk. This will give an idea of the scale and variety of projects funded at that time.
Applying for project funding from the Argyll and the Islands LEADER Programme is very straightforward and assistance with completion of forms will be available from Project Coordinators whenever required.
Enquiries should be made in the first instance to either of the Project Coordinators whose details can be found under Contacts. They will be happy to discuss your project proposals and answer any queries.
You will then be asked to complete an Initial Enquiry form which should be returned to the to Project Coordinators. If your project is eligible for funding they will then invite you to complete a full Application Form.
This application will then be assessed and presented to the Local Action Group for consideration at one of their quarterly meetings, the dates of which have still to be announced.
Any decisions taken on your project will be relayed to you immediately following LAG meetings.
Application forms will be available soon.
It is expected that the Programme will be up and running by April 2008.
It is anticipated that funding will start being allocated to eligible projects from June 2008.
Argyll and the Islands LEADER Programme will support projects that revitalise communities and or contribute to progressive rural economies.
As the programme advances details of projects awarded funding will be recorded on this site. Each project will be archived and available within two sections. One section will list the geographical areas in which the projects are based and the other will list the project categories:
Project Areas
Arran
Atlantic Islands
Bute
Cowal
Cumbrae
Kintyre
Lomond
Lorn
Mid Argyll
Project Categories
Diversification into non Agricultural activities
Project Address.
Argyll and the Islands Leader Programme
Cameron House
Albany Street
Oban.
Argyll
PA34 4AE
Project Coordinator Details.
For Lorn, Mid-
Lorna Elliott.
On 01631 563 016.
Mobile 07760 250 940.
lorna.elliott@argyll-
For Lomond, Cowal, Bute, Arran and Cumbrae please contact.
Sheila McLean.
On 01631 564 424 or 01855 811 563.
Mobile 07760 246 574.
sheila.mclean@argyll-
Secretariat Contact Details
Ian Downie
01700 502 252
07770 434 925
Links on this page.
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Argyll and the Islands LEADER Local Action Group, LAG, will ensure that management and delivery of the Programme will remain “bottom up” through the views of its wider membership and the continued involvement of all partners.
Argyll and the Islands LEADER Local Action Group has partner representatives from a wide range of public and community sector organisations.
LAG members have responsibility for awarding funding to successful applicants.
The LAG also has responsibility for delivering the Local Development Strategy and
making ongoing strategic decisions on running the LEADER Programme within Argyll
and the Islands.
The Lead Partner is Argyll and Bute Council with responsibility for employing staff,
providing secretariat support and managing the budget.
A complete list of LAG members is available on a pdf file by following this link.
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This page is meant to present an overview of the Argyll and the Islands LEADER Programme. We understand that this may not be enough to address all of your needs. You are most welcome to contact the project coordinators for any assistance that you may require.