Rural economy

Information about the rural economy of South Oxfordshire

LEADER  grants programme

The Southern Oxfordshire LEADER programme has a fund of £1.89 million to help support rural communities in Southern Oxfordshire. The funding from the Government and the EU is used to help revitalise and support rural businesses and communities in Southern Oxfordshire between now and 2013.

The funding provides support to a wide range of projects and training for farmers, growers, foresters, food businesses and rural communities.  Project have so far included a food festival for children, a community-run village shop and farm diversification projects.

The Southern Oxfordshire local development strategy aims to develop thriving sustainable rural communities by improving the competitiveness of our agricultural and forestry sectors and by using our unique rural landscape and traditions as a foundation to provide appropriate local employment opportunities and address social exclusion.

The LEADER programme has five strategic themes (or priorities) for the Southern Oxfordshire area, they are:

• encouraging enterprise and business innovation
• improving tourism in rural locations and enhancing heritage and landscape
• addressing social exclusion
• skills development in rural areas
• addressing climate change is a cross cutting theme

For more information contact the LEADER project manager on 01491 823176 or visit the Southern Oxfordshire Leader website www.southernoxfordshireleader.org.uk

Oxfordshire Rural Community Council (ORCC)

ORCC aims to improve the quality of life for those who live or work in rural Oxfordshire.

Specific issues of concern to ORCC are:
- The shortage of affordable housing in most villages.
- The inadequacy of public and community transport throughout much of rural Oxfordshire.
- Poor access to some essential services and facilities, e.g shops.
- The importance of providing village halls or other places for community groups to meet.
- The decline of small towns as local service centres for surrounding rural communities.
- The need to strengthen support for the voluntary and community organisations (and their volunteers) on which rural services so often depend.
- Hidden disadvantage and social exclusion in rural communities.
- Involving the community in planning for the future through parish plans

To contact ORCC visit their website or call 01865 883488

Support for village shops

We support a Village Shop Development Worker (VSDW) as we recognise that village shops remain a lifeline to many people living in rural South Oxfordshire as well as being a social meeting place for village communities. The VSDW visits all village shops within Oxfordshire and provides knowledge and guidance, and assists with funding applications for grants. For more information about the work that the village shop development worker does visit the ORCC website or call 01865 883488