Suffolk Rural Economy Scheme
The Suffolk Rural Economy Scheme, which has been running since
October 2006 is a small grants scheme administered by Suffolk
County Council, on behalf of the partners, to support viable shops
and post offices across rural areas of the county.
Retail Support programme
Small one-off revenue and capital grants will be awarded to
shops in rural areas, which can demonstrate sustainable economic
community benefits.
The Rural Services Scheme will pay for an advisor, who
specialises in retail to visit and provide advice to the
proprietor, and help guide them through the application process.
The scheme will provide grants up to 50% of the project costs, to a
maximum of £5,000.
The aim is to assist:
- Private rural shops, which are based in the community they
serve, are viable, an asset to the community and the only business
of that type in the settlement
- Social enterprises, charities, voluntary and community groups
which run, or are creating, an economically viable community shop
for the benefit of their rural community
Shops with a turnover of £7500 per week or less may apply for
grants to improve premises or to expand their business.
Post Office Support programme
Help is at hand from Suffolk County Council to support Post
Offices in the county who wish to diversify, or shops where the
post office has been closed as part of the Post Office Network
Change Programme.
The Rural Economy Scheme has benefited from an additional
£75,000 funding from the Local Authority Business Growth Incentive
(LABGI) to help post offices that wish to diversify or are at risk
of closure, and shops which have had a post office within the store
closed, as part of the Network Change Programme. (LABGI is a
government award scheme based on growth in business rates which
Suffolk County Council has dedicated to economic development)
Urban post offices are also able to apply for grant funding
under the Post Office Support Programme. In light of the current
post office closure programme there is a risk that a number of
Suffolk businesses (particularly shops) will be affected because
they host a post office. This funding will allow businesses to
diversify into more profitable markets, allowing them to grow,
create and sustain jobs, and keep a village shop in the community
selling goods that local people wish to purchase.
Grants will not be made to support campaigns to prevent a post
office closure.
“Enterprising Communities”
The scheme has also attracted money from Investing in
Communities to support "Enterprising Communities" and the funds
must be spent by March 09. This section of the Rural Economy Scheme
will be delivered in partnership with Suffolk ACRE.
Broadly speaking, the scheme is looking for 10 communities who
have a new project to create a sustainable community business or
service. This could be:
- A community shop
- A community building seeking to diversify income (e.g. a
village hall installing a bar)
- Establishing a regular farmer's market, craft or antique fair
(or other)
Grants are around £9k per project, to include project management
support to work up a feasibility study and conduct community
consultations. The watch words are: "rural" "new" "economic benefit
to community" and "sustainable." Applications must be from a rural
community or parish council, not an individual business.
For more information, and to receive an application form, please
contact Cheryl Paget, Economic Development Project Officer at
Suffolk County Council on 01473 260793 or email
cheryl.paget@suffolkcc.gov.uk
The Rural Economy Scheme is funded by Suffolk County Council,
Babergh District Council, Forest Heath District Council, Mid
Suffolk District Council, St Edmundsbury Borough Council, Suffolk
Coastal District Council, Waveney District Council, and Suffolk
County Council’s Corporate Regeneration Fund. Suffolk ACRE, Post
Office Ltd, Rural Shops Alliance, ViRSA, and Foundation East are
also part of the Rural Economy Scheme
Partnership.