Rural job creation grants top 30m

01 July 1998

Rural job creation grants top £30m

By FWi staff

MORE than £30 million has been made available to some 100 rural job creation projects in the South West – with over half the projects earmarked for Cornwall.

The grants will be paid out over the next six years under the EUs Objective 5b scheme. There are six rural regions within the UK designated for additional funding under the scheme of which the South West is just one.

The projects will cover all forms of rural employment, from marketing and tourist facilities to strawberry production and narcissus research.

Elliot Morley, junior farm minister, said: “I am delighted that local farmers, growers and business have responded so enthusiastically to the grants which are available.

“The money being put in by the Ministry is being matched by private funding, including local sources, and this represents a massive investment in the regions future.”