Montgomeryshire AM Mick Bates has welcomed the £4.48million of funding being made available through the Rural Development Plan (RDP) for Wales 2007-13, which aims at improving the quality of life in rural areas and supporting locally based approaches to rural development.
More than £54m in total has been allocated to projects to help create jobs, improve services and regenerate communities in rural Wales. Powys receives the largest single grant to develop and promote tourism.
Commenting, Mr Bates said:
“This funding is a welcome boost for Powys and will provide valuable support for individuals, businesses and communities.
“The projects receiving support include ‘Farm Diversification’, which will support sustainable diversification for farming families, to allow traditional farming practices to continue.
“The project ‘A Resilient Powys’ will offer financial assistance to encourage small-scale business and community led initiatives to support diversification and improve the lives of Powys’ citizens.
“‘Sustainable Tourism Powys’ has received the largest single grant to develop and promote tourism and support innovative green tourism. This is a welcome boost for the economy of Mid Wales and I hope will encourage more people to visit our wonderful and diverse region.
“These are all excellent projects that will help us to emerge from the recession stronger and with a more sustainable and reliable economy and I am confident that they will make a real difference to the lives of people across Powys.”
