£2.05 million has been made available to the Surrey Hills LEADER group under the Rural Development Programme for England 2007 – 2013 (RDPE). It’s aim is to give rural Surrey a sustainable future.

The LEADER Project Development Officer – Cathy Miles and The LEADER Project Administration Officer – Lauren Young oversee the application process.

Decisions on funding are made by a Local Action Group (LAG), comprising local rural representatives. LEADER is delivered locally – helping to address local problems and opportunities.

LAG members (approximately 20) are drawn from private businesses (including people involved in farming, forestry, and other land based rural businesses), the public sector and voluntary/community organisations.

The LAG set the original strategy for the Surrey Hills LEADER and is responsible for steering the implementation of this strategy through the projects it funds, for the life of the programme 2008 – 2013.

The LAG group has a subgroup of four or five members who form the decision making panel. The panel considers applications in accordance with the strategy and an annually prepared business plan. The panel meets monthly to consider completed applications for funding.