AQW 49000/11-16

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 22/09/2015
Answered On Date: 06/10/2015
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development for an update on the progress of Local Action Groups, including the timescale for developing their Local Rural Development Strategies, and the distribution of funding.

Answer:

All ten Local Action groups have now received their Interim Local Rural Development Strategy templates. My Department has set a return date of 31st December 2015, however officials will work at the pace of the fastest and any of the ten LAG’s submitting a strategy before this date that meets the required standard will be eligible to receive a contract to deliver LEADER on behalf of the Department. This will cut some 18 months off the set up time compared to the previous programme.

The request for funding by an applicant is a 2 stage process. Firstly applicants must attend a funding workshop where they will be given advice on eligibility and pre application documentation that they need to have before applying for funding, such as a business plan. Once workshops are complete in a LAG area the LAG will advertise that it is open to receive online applications.

This two stage process should increase the number of successful applications and reduce the amount of time wasted processing unrealistic ones. Our aim is to process all applications to a funding decision within 90 days of receipt.