Leicestershire Rural Partnership Big Society Rural Advice Service
Big Society: Rural Advice
The Leicestershire and Rutland Rural Community Council (RCC) is delighted to have been chosen to deliver the Leicestershire Rural Partnership (LRP) Rural Advice Service.
Funded by Leicestershire County Council the service will provide the following support to help progress Big Society initiatives in rural areas:
• Advice and guidance to communities on a range of rural issues
• Specialist advice on community consultation, action planning and project development activity
• Signposting to other organisations and support services that may be able to provide further support and advice in specialist areas
4 Ways to Warmth
The 4 Ways to Warmth scheme is now well underway across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
Supported by a range of partners the scheme will provide advice and guidance to frontline workers and volunteers on
• insulation, energy saving and measures to keep homes warm and enable vulnerable people to live healthily
• advice on getting the best deal from your energy supplier including priority register for vulnerable people
• accessing handyperson schemes and small grant schemes to fund loft clearance for those eligible for free loft insulation
• support available through First Contact
• recruitment, training and support for a network of volunteer energy Champions
• links to Good Neighbours/nominated neighbours schemes
• provision of information on Fuel Poverty to frontline workers and volunteers.
• support through the First Contact Scheme from statutory agencies and partners
The scheme will also fund the purchase of emergency heating/hot water and winter warmer packs which will be available to vulnerable people across the area.
For more information of awareness events please see the above link or for more information contact dcook@ruralcc.org.uk 0116 2689706
Rural Community Broadband Fund Announced
Promoting energy efficiency and providing advice to vulnerable people
Defra has today launched the Rural Community Broadband Fund (RCBF) with confirmed funding of £20m. The RCBF is jointly funded by Defra and Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), and complements BDUK’s mainstream broadband rollout programme. The Fund enables the funding of superfast broadband projects in the most hard to reach areas in England, bringing superfast broadband to a greater number of communities than would otherwise be reached. This will ensure that a greater proportion of businesses and consumers in those communities can take advantage of the benefits of superfast broadband. The Fund is being delivered as part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). More information about the fund and details on how to apply can be found on Defra’s RDPE Network webpage http://rdpenetwork.defra.gov.uk/funding-sources/rural-community-broadband-fund The RCC is working closely with Leicestershire County Council on Rural Broadband issues. For more information about local initiatives contact dcook@ruralcc.org.uk01162689706
Funding 'to help communities to help themselves'
Community groups and Village Halls that are seeking help from the RCC to enable them to carry out consultations and projects within their communities have expressed concern that the level of support, available to existing and new groups, is being affected in future by local authority funding cuts to the RCC.
We are delighted therefore to be able to tell you that details of the £340,000 Leicestershire County Council Big Society grant fund are now available and that the fund will enable communities to apply for funds to ‘pay for specialist support for the preparation of a community/parish or neighbourhood plan’ or pay for consultation events to discuss issues and agree priorities together.
The grants will also fund projects which enable communities to identify and meet their needs and enable them, through community activity, to provide local solutions to tackle problems.
It will also fund specialist advice on running a community facility, feasibility studies to help with establishing projects, development of business plans, writing funding bids, community right to buy, community right to build, training and development and costs towards restructuring.
Any group requiring support to carry out a community, Parish or neighbourhood plan, set up an environment group or good neighbour scheme, need help with setting up a specialist group, or those requiring advice on Community Building management will be able to apply for funds and pay the RCC for the specialist help they need.
The RCC will be happy to discuss requirements with any potential groups and may also be able to help you to submit your bids to the fund.
Diana Cook Community Engagement Manager said ‘this is good news that will enable the RCC to continue to offer help to the many groups and parishes that want to prepare community led plans in readiness for when the Localism Bill becomes law and enable them to be ready to provide more services locally.
It’s going to be a different way for the RCC to get some of it’s funds but we are fortunate to have the knowledge and experience that will enable us to adapt. It may also in time offer us opportunities to increase the range of services that we offer.
More information is available here: http://www.leics.gov.uk/index/community/community_information/bigsociety/bigsocietygrantfund.htm
Latest News
Defra has today launched the Rural Community Broadband Fund (RCBF) with confirmed funding of £20m. The RCBF is jointly funded by Defra and Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), and complements BDUK’s mainstream broadband rollout programme. The Fund enables the funding of superfast broadband projects in the most hard to reach areas in England, bringing superfast broadband to a greater number of communities than would otherwise be reached. This will ensure that a greater proportion of businesses and consumers in those communities can take advantage of the benefits of superfast broadband. The Fund is being delivered as part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). More information about the fund and details on how to apply can be found on Defra’s RDPE Network webpage http://rdpenetwork.defra.gov.uk/funding-sources/rural-community-broadband-fund The RCC is working closely with Leicestershire County Council on Rural Broadband issues. For more information about local initiatives contact dcook@ruralcc.org.uk 01162689706
The new edition of the Green Directory, which documents local community-led environmental action in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland has just been released.
The directory lists hundreds of community groups, environmental projects and support organisations that are helping the region work towards a more sustainable and secure future.
Its contents include details of the first solar panel installations on village halls in Leicestershire, information on new local allotment schemes and a comprehensive listing of community orchards, farmers markets and green events across the local area.
The directory can be downloaded for free from the RCC website: www.ruralcc.org.uk/green-directory. Free hard copies are available for RCC members - for information on joining the RCC go to www.ruralcc.org.uk.
Andrew Reeves from the Communities Cutting Carbon project said “The Green Directory is an inspiring place to look for ideas on practical environmental action that you can take where you live to have a positive impact in your community.”
The directory has been produced by Communities Cutting Carbon, a project based at the Rural Community Council (RCC) that is delivered in partnership with De Montfort University and each of the local authorities in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
Fifteen new case study posters have just been released by the Communities Cutting Carbon project, sharing information on a wide range of successful community-led environmental projects from Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
The case studies include details of how new allotments were set up Leicestershire villages in Billesdon and Ashby Parva, information about solar panel installations in a Sikh temple in Leicester and the village hall in Bottesford and a unique recycling collection scheme in Tilton on the Hill.
Each case study provides invaluable information and inspiration for anyone interested in similar projects, including how the project was initiated and funded and its achievements, successes and challenges.
The full set of close to 30 local case studies can be downloaded for free from the Communities Cutting Carbon website: www.ruralcc.org.uk/ccc-case-studies.
Communities Cutting Carbon is a Knowledge Transfer Partnership project, involving the Rural Community Council (Leicestershire and Rutland), De Montfort University and each of the local authorities in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
For further information, contact Andrew Reeves on areeves@ruralcc.org.uk or 0116 268 9718.