Rural Tayside LEADER Programme 2007-2013 RURAL TAYSIDE Contents Foreword Foreword 3 Executive summary 4 SECTION 1 Rural Tayside is renowned for the splendour of its the benefit of all. Their efforts have been supported Rural Tayside LEADER Programme 2007-2013 scenery, its historic towns, the quality of its produce by the LEADER Team and the Rural Tayside Local - Introduction and Context - and the hospitality and creativity of its people. Action Group. Overview of LEADER 8 - Rural Tayside LEADER Development The area comprises hill areas leading to the As the programme comes to a close we have Strategy 2007-2013 9 Grampian Mountains to the north, coastal areas on undertaken a review to look at the processes and the Firth of Tay and North Sea to the south and east, outcomes of the programme so that we can draw SECTION 2 and farming areas in the middle and south. Rural out lessons for the future. In particular we have used Impact Tayside’s countryside is valued for its distinctive a logic model approach to undertake and present environment, the attractiveness and diversity of its eight projects that demonstrate the impact LEADER - Evaluation aims and methods 12 landscape, and its small, close-knit rural has made and outcomes achieved and commissioned - Overview of LEADER funded projects 13 communities. a short film so we can hear directly from the - Project Outcomes and Logic Models 17 beneficiaries about what they did and the difference - Applicant Feedback at Final Monitoring 28 The Rural Tayside LEADER Programme 2007-2013 it made locally. was established to support people living or working SECTION 3 in rural Tayside to develop a more diverse and My thanks go to all who have been involved in LEADER Approach and Process 29 enterprising rural economy, build stronger and more delivering the Rural Tayside LEADER programme - Application Process 30 inclusive rural communities and enhance the natural 2007-2013 and to those who have helped with the - Applicant Survey 31 and cultural assets, by offering grant assistance to review. help people fulfil their aspirations locally. - Local Action Group 32 - Local Action Group Survey 33 The Programme supported a wide range of projects that have helped realise local aspirations and make a SECTION 4 tangible difference to people’s lives: from improved Learning and Recommendations 36 community facilities and services to celebrating and Serge Merone, Chair, Rural Tayside LEADER protecting the cultural and natural heritage, Local Action Group Appendix 1 developing skills, building capacity and contributing Map showing the distribution of LEADER toward the local economy. funded projects by strategic objective 39 The vision and dedication of local people and locally based organisations has made this happen. People Appendix 2 have devoted time and resources and voluntary List of LEADER funded projects and amount of commitment to achieve what they set out to do – to grant approved by area and strategic objective 40 make a difference and improve their communities for 2 Executive summary Mosaic - Hill Enhancement, Kirriemuir Background Rural Tayside LEADER Programme database In December 2013 the Rural Tayside LEADER Local Feedback from applicants at the final monitoring Action Group commissioned Rachel Green, Community visit Engagement Officer at Angus Council to review the Applicant survey through the customer care form Rural Tayside LEADER Programme 2007-2013 using a logic model approach and to help assess the delivery Project visits and interviews with volunteers and and impact of the Programme. beneficiaries Local Action Group survey The LEADER Programme is part of a bottom-up EU rural regeneration programme that aims to capitalise Logic models have been used to show a graphical on local skills and knowledge to effect change. depiction of the relationship between activities, LEADER is one strand of the Scottish Rural outputs and outcomes of eight projects. These logic Development Programme (SRDP) and is delivered models also demonstrate how the project contributes throughout rural Scotland by 20 Local Action Groups to local involvement, community benefit, equal who each implement a Local Development Strategy opportunities, innovation, sustainable development (LDS). and sharing best practice. The Rural Tayside LEADER Local Action Group (RTLAG) had 14 members representing 14 organisations during Rural Tayside LEADER Programme 2007-2013 the duration of the Programme. The RTLAG focused on Between 2008 and 2013 Rural Tayside LEADER delivering projects around two themes: revitalising funded 125 projects. Projects were categorised rural communities and progressive rural economies. under one of the strategic objectives by The Rural Tayside Local Development Strategy (LDS) determining the principle nature of the activity. It had three strategic objectives centred on the local is however recognised that many projects also economy; community development and enhancing the contributed to the other strategic objectives natural and cultural heritage and prioritised four target simultaneously and all projects delivered groups: women, migrant workers, the economically multiple outcomes and benefits. 54% of the inactive and young people. projects were categorised as community development, 24% as natural and cultural Methodology heritage and 22% as local economy. The review was structured around a self-evaluation The Rural Tayside LEADER Programme tool - RADAR and gathered quantitative and qualitative funded a diverse range of projects; from intelligence by analysis of: improvements to community facilities 3 Historic churchyards project East Perthshire, Enhancement of Collace Mort House Developing hazel coppice managed woodlands in Perthshire Guthrie Village Hall - Extension and services, cultural festivals and events, restoration capacity, with improved visitor experience and the local with the decision making process and correspondence. of historic buildings and the control of invasive species economy and local skills next. Enhanced natural and More people reported less satisfaction with the claims to marketing and promotional campaigns, business cultural heritage and social enterprise are least and monitoring processes, feeling that claims were at mentoring and support and counselling services. reported. times slow, monitoring excessive, and that retrospective funding presented difficulties with LEADER funding reached most areas of rural Perth & Involvement in LEADER funded projects also led to managing cash flow. Kinross and Angus. 64% of projects were delivered in other beneficial changes including increased Perth & Kinross accounting for 51% of the total grant community spirit, cohesion and confidence, better The majority of projects were visited at the post funding approved. 31% of projects were delivered in collaborative and partnership working and increased approval and pre-final payment stage. These visits Angus accounting for 41% of the total grant funding community and individual capacity. More tangible were useful to establish a line of contact and support, approved. Grants approved ranged from £1,485 to improvements include knowledge and skills to inform applicants about the claims and monitoring £176,973. This review is based on the amount of development, employment and volunteering process, to reflect on the project process and LEADER grant approved by the LAG and not the final opportunities, project management experience, new achievements and verify that the project was amount paid. buildings, facilities, services and equipment. completed in line with the application. The Programme delivered projects aimed at particular The Local Action Group (LAG) members represented a The LEADER approach and processes target groups; young people, migrant workers and the cross section of interests. The individuals worked well economically inactive as well as cooperation projects Applicants to the LEADER programme ranged from together and brought personal experience and across more than one LAG area, but it is recognised community groups with little experience of funding expertise to the assessment process. Challenges were that this is an area that could be strengthened. applications and project management to highly skilled identified around consistency of attendance, professional fund raising teams with paid staff to underestimation of the time commitment required of Impact undertake claims and reporting. There was a wide volunteers, lack of engagement in animating the variation in the capacity of groups to manage and Programme and the difficulties of recruiting young The LEADER Programme has delivered numerous deliver projects and consequently the level of support people to the LAG. The Programme was well run at the tangible and intangible benefits to communities across required varied considerably. Rural Tayside level, however it emerged that the rural Tayside. The most reported outcomes are; the Scottish Government technical guidance was improvement to local facilities and services, Successful applicants were generally satisfied with inadequate in terms of audit requirements. collaborative working and improving community guidance, application forms and support as well as 4 Murton Community Farm - Tearoom Learning and recommendations ongoing support to facilitate their engagement in the Next steps The review concluded that there are lessons to be animation process and delivery of the programme Given the opportunity for community led local learnt that could help improve the delivery of the next Introducing a