Lanarkshire LEADER launch Local Development Strategy

The community-led Lanarkshire LEADER Local Development Strategy has been launched.

The strategy sets out the priorities and objectives against which applications for funding will be assessed by the Lanarkshire LEADER Programme until 2020. A new development is the inclusion of part of the North Lanarkshire rural area to the south of Cumbernauld and east of Airdrie and Wishaw.

South Lanarkshire Council Provost, Councillor Eileen Logan unveiled the new strategy at Clydesdale Community Initiatives (CCI) in Lanark recently.

Provost Logan said:

"This strategy provides an excellent opportunity for community projects to access financial support. It will continue to ensure that rural issues are considered and resources identified to enable priorities to be addressed."

Chris Parkin, LEADER Program Manager, said:

"LEADER has helped to build capacity in local communities, encouraging individuals, businesses and community organisations to benefit from greater ownership and commitment to community-driven projects.

"Although we are not quite ready yet to open the LEADER Programme for grant applications, we expect to do this in September. We felt it important however that groups and business understand the type of projects we are looking to support so they can start to prepare their ideas."

CCI was chosen for the launch as it has a well-established association with LEADER, having received support since its early stages of development.

Development Officer for CCI, Colleen Scott said:

"LEADER has been critical to the successful development and growth of CCI. Without their support we would have not been able to develop as an organisation to a scale where we now employ 18 at our new operational base at Langloch Farm."

Download the Lanarkshire LEADER Local Development Strategy.

Visit our LEADER section to find out more about LEADER across Scotland.