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Rural businesses in the Tees Valley are set to benefit from £1m funding which will also go towards developing the market town of Guisborough in a huge boost for tourism and the local economy.
Under the Rural Development for England (RDPE) programme One North East has awarded Redcar and Cleveland Council the funding on behalf of other local authorities in the Tees Valley.
The funding aims to ensure that 24 jobs will be safeguarded, 12 jobs created and 30 businesses supported over the next 18 months.
Money will go towards the development of farm diversifications and rural micro-enterprises in the Tees Valley. The aim is to stimulate business growth and development by helping rural businesses to diversify and expand, therefore improving the local economy and increasing employment opportunities.
Funding will also be invested in the Market Town Investment Programme in and around Guisborough to enhance the town and its facilities. The key objective is to establish a centre of regional significance that increases the town’s profile as an activity tourism hub and entrance to the North York Moors National Park, which attracts additional visitor numbers to the area.
Alan Clarke, One North East’s Chief Executive, said: “This funding will encourage rural business in the Tees Valley to further expand and develop, contributing towards an improved rural economy. Investments in the Guisborough Market Town area will encourage local people, businesses and tourists to recognise the area’s potential and work together towards further developing the town as an attractive place to live, work and visit.
“This investment is key to establishing areas of rural Tees Valley as viable for business and attractive to visitors, which together are essential elements for economic growth.”
Councillor Mark Hannon, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said: “The council is very excited about this opportunity to assist businesses across the Tees Valley. Particularly in this difficult economic climate, we hope to assist a number of rural businesses to develop and grow.
“David Hitchens from our LEGI Enterprise Team is on-hand to assist applicants and to help them benefit from this new funding. The scheme is now up and running and I hope there will be a lot of interest.
“Funding earmarked for Guisborough provides a great opportunity for the council to deliver some of the key projects that the public have identified as priorities for the area and those that were proposed in the town’s Destination Plan, which was produced with Guisborough Market Town Partnership in June.
“Now we have secured the funding, the hard work of getting the projects up and running really begins; the first of which is delivering our Uplifting Our Town Centres project, to improve selected shop fronts on Westgate.”
Money will be awarded to establish and grow micro businesses – those with up to 10 employees. Funds are available to assist farms to diversify and businesses to create new or upgrade existing premises and for equipment and marketing costs.
Rural businesses interested in applying for funding should contact David Hitchens in the LEGI Enterprise team on (01642) 495744. Enquiries regarding support for Guisborough projects should be made to Ian Stewart on (01642) 771272.
The Rural Development Programme for England 2007-2013 is jointly funded by Defra and the European Union, with the aim of delivering targeted support to rural businesses and communities. It is managed in North East England by One North East, Natural England and the Forestry Commission.
The RDPE investment being managed by One North East combines larger projects to help many businesses in different sectors of the rural economy - including bioenergy and land-based skills, and projects adding value to agricultural and forestry products - with smaller investments to help individual businesses to start-up, grow or diversify, and support to develop more sustainable rural communities.
RDPE Business Support is part of Solutions for Business, the Government’s package of publicly funded support products offering help to companies to start, grow and succeed. Solutions for Business makes it easier for companies to get the advice and assistance that they need.
For further information on the full package of support, visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/northeast.or call Tel: 0845 600 9006.
For more information on RDPE in North East England, visit: www.rdpenortheast.co.uk
For more information on RDPE, visit:
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/rurdev/index_en.htm
http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/rdpe/index.htm
Ends.
For more information, contact Alison Laggan (press office) on 0191 229 6613, mobile 07766 424400 or email alison.laggan@onenortheast.co.uk
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