Nearly £8,000 has been ear-marked to help West Dorset’s economy.
West Dorset District Council will give £7,950 a year from 2015 to 2020 to support the LEADER economic investment programme.
The programme will be investing in projects to increase local prosperity and uses a community-led approach to oversee how the funding from the European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development is spent.
Robert Gould, Leader of West Dorset District Council, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to support this programme which will play a vital role in boosting West Dorset’s economy.
“We are very keen to do what we can to support businesses and those that generate wealth locally. This is why we decided to invest in the LEADER programme, even though we are facing tough financial challenges.”
The LEADER programme targets, delivers and manages economic investment through Local Action Groups (LAGs). West Dorset is covered by the Southern Dorset Local Action Group and the Northern Dorset Local Action Group.
The district council will contribute £5,500 a year to the Southern Dorset Local Action Group and £2,450 to the Northern Dorset Local Action Group. These groups replace the previous organisation called Chalk and Cheese, which awarded grants worth £1.66m from 2007-2013 across West Dorset, Weymouth & Portland and Purbeck.
A total of 39 projects received grants ranging from £2,700 to £150,000. The money was used to help entrepreneurs, charities and community groups. One project that received support was Thorncombe Village Shop, which received £25,000 towards refurbishment.
