LEADER+ is a European Community Initiative for assisting rural communities in improving the quality of life and economic prosperity in their local area. The aim of the LEADER+ programme is to encourage and support rural areas to think about the longer-term potential of their area. It seeks to encourage the implementation of integrated, high-quality, original strategies for sustainable development designed to encourage experimenting with new ways of:
- Enhancing natural and cultural heritage
- Reinforcing the economic environment, in order to contribute to job creation
- Improving the organisational abilities of communities
The theme for the LEADER+ programme in the Western Isles, Skye & Lochalsh is “the use of new know-how and new technologies to make the products and services of rural areas more competitive”. This is a wide theme that offers communities good opportunity to come forward with innovative ideas for their own locality. All projects coming forward for support should be consistent with the above theme. Projects should also demonstrate innovation and should be able to transfer to other areas. Funding is discretionary and can be up to a maximum of 50% of project costs.
The LEADER+ programme in the Western Isles and Skye and Lochalsh is managed in partnership by a Local Action Group comprised of the following organisations:
- HIE Innse Gall
- HIE Skye and Wester Ross
- Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
- Highland Council
- Comunn Na Gaidhlig
- Scottish Natural Heritage
- Association of Western Isles Councils of Voluntary Service
- Skye & Lochalsh Council for Voluntary Organisations
- Two young people’s representatives
- Two women’s representatives
LEADER+ has dedicated staffing to help communities take forward projects. Your local field officer will advise on the eligibility of your project and on the support materials you will be required to gather in support of your project. Eligible projects will be forwarded to the Local Action Group, who are responsible for approving LEADER+ projects.
If you have a proposal that you wish to discuss, please contact the LEADER+ field officer in your area. The field officers are based in the two Local Enterprise Companies:
HIE Innse Gall, James Square, 9 James Street, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, HS1 2QN
Telephone: 01851 703703
HIE Skye and Wester Ross, King’s House, The Green, Portree, Isle of Skye, IV51 9BS
Telephone: 01478 612841
Further information can be found on the LEADER+ website |