The Rural Regeneration Fund (RRF) was established three years ago with £300,000 a year being made available to help projects aimed at revitalising the rural economy and rural communities. This funding acts as a means to bring in more funds as the RRF will only pay up to 35 per cent of the total costs of any project.
The grants awarded so far have resulted in a number of successful projects, such as a fully integrated transport package from rail to road and from town to country in Fletching where previously there was no public transport.
Now, led by the firm RDH, there is a successful bus service tailored to personal travelling needs.
Another successful project has been the Rotherfield Community Tourism Initiative which has actively developed a project to increase cycling, horse riding and walking to attract more visitors to the area; the HailshamEast Community Partnership, which provided a community building for community projects; and a regionally recognised centre of excellence at Netherfield for advice and training for sustainable farming and marketing of local produce.
In total during the last three years 24 different projects have been helped by the Rural Regeneration Fund.
Commenting, Councillor Peter Jones, Leader of the Council and Lead Member for Strategic Management and Economic Development, said:"The Fund is now fully committed and it is excellent that it has generated so much extra funding into the County for a great many very successful projects. Indeed, it equates to seven times the County Council’s investment ."
Reference:
04/161/JW
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