r Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, celebrated another campaign victory with the allocation of more than £4 million to support rural business and community groups in Cumbria.
The money has been allocated from the Conservative Government’s £110 million Rural England Prosperity Fund which sees local authorities invest in initiatives such as farm diversification, tourism boosting projects and improving community facilities.
An impassioned voice for rural communities, Dr Hudson has long fought for levelling up to include rural areas even securing and leading a debate on levelling up rural Cumbria in the House of Commons.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, said:
“This funding will go a long way to unlocking the huge economic potential of rural Cumbria. From securing local jobs and growing the economy to supporting access to arts and culture and improving community facilities, this dedicated fund rightly delivers on the needs of rural towns and villages.
“Our Conservative Government has consistently shown it is the only party really dedicated to boosting the rural economy.”
The Rural England Prosperity Fund is a rural top-up to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund which is £2.6 billion of new funding for local investment to support levelling up across the UK. It marks a change from previous bureaucratic and fragmented EU funds, allowing England to take back control of its own growth investment and giving local leaders a greater say in where funding is best spent.
Applications were accepted prior to local government reorganisation but Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council are both committed to taking projects forward.
This month’s announcement for local applications were:
- Allerdale: £1,298,210
- Carlisle: £474,841
- Copeland: £756,584
- Eden: £1,051,689
- South Lakeland: £1,137,962
Across rural England, the money will be spent on two key areas:
- Communities and place: projects to improve community facilities such as green spaces and boost access to arts and culture to grow local tourism economies.
- Supporting local business: projects to support agricultural businesses looking to expand their remit, and rural businesses looking to launch or grow their products and services.
Rural England Prosperity Fund allocates £110 million between 2023 and 2025. The Department for Environment, food and Rural Affairs is in contact with each of the eligible local authorities to confirm their allocated funding, and they can begin to deliver on their plans over the coming weeks.
Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey added:
“Driving investment in rural areas is a vital part of our vision for levelling up the country. The new Rural Prosperity Fund replaces the bureaucratic EU funding system - allowing us to work closely with local leaders to direct funding where it is most needed to close the rural productivity gap, create job opportunities and protect the English countryside.
“This confirmed spending will allow local authorities to deliver on their plans to level up businesses and communities in rural areas from today, in line with their residents’ priorities.”
Country Land and Business President Mark Tufnell added:
“The rural economy is 19% less productive than the national average, but reducing this gap could add up to £43 billion to the economy. This funding is an important step in unlocking the vast potential of rural businesses and will give startups as well as existing enterprises the support they need to grow.
“We strongly encourage Local Authorities to work closely with rural entrepreneurs to maximise the opportunities the Rural England Prosperity Fund presents, identifying every possible opportunity to generate economic growth – creating good jobs and strengthening our communities in the process.”
