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LATEST
NEWS
North Antrim
Leader is now winding down.The Cushendall Office will
close on the 30th September 2008.All grants have now
been paid and we are dealing with the remaining audit
and project monitoring issues.
Overall NAL+
has been an outstanding success story for the North
Antrim area, delivering a range of funds from the Leader,
BSP, Interreg, Peace II and other sources to the local
community. NAL+ also worked with a range of partners
to ensure the maximum impact of funding. We also had
a “customer driven” approach which attempted to simplify
the over bureaucratic systems that are a barrier to
rural communities. The programme is now closing at the
end of September and the work of the voluntary directors,
staff and all those who supported NAL+ should be acknowledged.
The outline
below is a summary of the success of North Antrim Leader
and identifies issues for the new programme.
NORTH
ANTRIM LEADER+ - A LOCAL SUCCESS STORY
There
is a wealth of experience of Leader and the rural development
process in this area from the very start of the Leader
and rural Development Programme in 1991. An initial
project was set up in 1992 with the Antrim Glens Cottages
Programme which involved self-catering properties and
which is still operational today by our partners in
North Antrim Community Network (NACN). North Antrim
Leader Ltd was set up in 1995 as part of the Leader
II Programme with the Lower Bann Leader area setting
up an equivalent organisation up 2 years later (these
two organisations merged to form North Antrim Leader+
Ltd (NAL+) in 2001) Leader II was a much more wide ranging
programme covering agriculture, tourism, community development,
small business and co-operation projects. All four of
the present NAL+ Councils were involved in this programme.
Over £1m in grant-aid was allocated to a wide range
of projects and Leader II was seen by the EU as one
of the top three Leader programmes in Europe
.
Leader
II then evolved into the present Leader+ programme which
is a partnership between the four Councils of Ballymena,
Ballymoney, Larne, Moyle and NACN. This commenced in
May 2002 (late, which caused issues concerning spend
– the infamous N+2 issue) and is due to finish in May
2008. This programme is very focussed on support for
small local businesses – an unusual focus at EU level
which in virtually all other countries was a much wider
initiative, similar to the Leader II programme. Indeed
this wide approach showed how Leader was the most effective
method to deliver rural Development programmes throughout
Europe
in terms of outputs. Despite this narrowness of the
NI programme its success demonstrated the flexibility
of the Leader approach with the following outputs being
achieved to date
Supported 181 businesses with grants of between £500
and £40,000
Supported over 230 business with small grants less
than £200
Assisted 414 businesses in total
Created 186 jobs
Sustained a further 211 jobs
Distributed 2.4m in grant aid
Levered in over £3.8m
Total investment
in North and East Antrim of over £6.2m
Networking
NAL+
could have simply taken its role as a rural business
support agency and operated this programme without reference
to other organisations in the sector and area. However
NAL+ quickly identified that one of the strengths of
Leader is its facility for networking. NAL+ thus has
worked with all the agencies which operate in the small
business area – LEA’s, Invest NI, local council’s economic
development departments and many others such as private
companies like Michelin Development. We also participated
in meetings, seminars etc with any organisation which
was working in North
Antrim to maximise
the input of our strategy and the other relevant strategies
in the area.
Our
community partner NACN, also ensured that even if our
focus was not particularly relevant to the community
sector, we were aware of the issues.
This
networking facility will enable any new LAG to have
a model of the importance and relevance of good networking.
Co-operation
This
has always been identified as an integral part of Leader,
whereby new ideas and best practice could be drawn together
from all over Europe
. Again NAL+ has
been to the forefront of this process with more projects
(7 in all) that any other NI group covering the following
areas.
Woolcraft
– use of
sheep products especially wool
Farmers
Markets
– operating in Ballymoney
Women
into Enterprise
– helping
female entrepreneurs
Food
& Cultural Tourism
– highlighting local food and culture
Biker
Tourism
– encouraging bikers to visit area
Cutting
costs/reducing risks
– helping Health and Safety in small businesses
Enterprise
International
– helping small rural businesses to identify potential
for export
We
are also the only group to work outside UK
and Ireland
on transnational
projects. Overall this meant NAL+ drew in an extra £220,000
in funding, again significantly more than other areas.
Co-operation
will again be a vital part of the next programme and
the NAL+ experience gives a good model. There is also
a wealth of contacts made with good relationships with
14 other LAG’s in the UK
, ROI and Europe
in addition to the
other 11 NI LAGS. All of these groups without exception
would like to further develop linkages. Indeed some
groups (our Scottish neighbours – Dumfries & Galloway
and Argyll and the Islands
are examples) have
already formally named North
Antrim as an area
with which they wish to co-operate in the next round
of rural development programmes.
Funding
vehicle
Again
this is an area where NAL+ has been innovative and successful.
We set up a joint company (Imeall Tra Teo or Edge of
the Shore Ltd) with the West Donegal Leader Group and
this has drawn down over £1.8m to both areas with a
range of funds being involved (Peace II, Interreg, Department
of Foreign Affairs and others. The Northern Ireland
Leader Groups also deliver a Farm diversification measure
through BSP. This is worth approximately £120,000 to
our area.
This
flexibility has been possible because of the independent
company status of NAL+. Again there is a lesson to be
taken on board about making any delivery structure flexible
enough to identify other funding sources and deliver
them in a co-ordinated and integrated way
NAL+
has also linked the agricultural and rural development
sectors with all of the staff and many of the directors
coming from farming backgrounds. It is important that
a rural programme is implemented that is inclusive and
that the farming and others parts of the rural community
work together. NAL+ is one of the few organisations
that have successfully linked these sectors (e.g. over
55% of our grants were allocated to farmers or farm
families). Leader also provides a mechanism which could
help deliver large parts of Axis 1 – farm competiveness
and even carry out programmes in Axis 2 (environmental
sustainability).
It
is also worth mentioning that The NI approach to Rural
Development and the Leader delivery system is at variance
with nearly every other EU state. EU legislation states
(Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005) LAGs “must consist
of either a group already qualified for. Leader+ or
be a new group…..”). In NI we have insisted on a completely
new system.
Programme
Operation
At
the close of the programme we had received and processed
the following breakdown of applications and issued Letters
of Offer.
| Council
Area |
Preliminary
Interest Forms |
Full
Applications |
Letters
of Offer |
| Moyle |
102 |
95 |
56 |
| Larne |
75 |
60 |
35 |
| Ballymoney |
73 |
60 |
34 |
| Ballymena |
81 |
57 |
|
| General |
|
17 |
13 |
| Total |
331 |
279 |
174 |
Businesses
Grant aided To Date
A
list of businesses funded to date by North Antrim Leader+has
been given and their respective Council areas and type
of business/service which they provide.
This
breakdown of the individuals and companies assisted
proves just how even the spread of money was throughout
the North Antrim region, with each of the four Councils
receiving a fair share.
LARNE
COUNCIL AREA |
|
|
Measure
|
Project
|
Awarded
|
NKNT
Business |
Lismoyle
Engineering |
£10,000.00
|
|
Kenny
Craig Welding |
£6,650.00
|
|
Barbara
McCluskey |
£7,500.00
|
|
Andy
Magee |
£7,800.00
|
|
Larne
Lough Nurseries |
£10,000.00
|
|
Steensons
|
£10,000.00
|
|
GW
Irvine |
£3,425.00
|
|
William
Hawkins |
£10,000.00
|
|
Inspecvision
|
£20,000.00
|
|
Larne
Lough Nurseries |
£9,900.00
|
|
Rainbow
Nursery |
£6,359.00
|
|
Maurice
McIlroy |
£10,000.00
|
|
Bali-
Hai Nursery |
£2,000.00
|
|
Blindtec
|
£5,055.00
|
|
Kevin
Woodside |
£16,000.00
|
|
Maureen
Paterson |
£3,838.00
|
|
Gladys
Smyth |
£11,508.00
|
|
Terry
Maguire |
£40,000.00
|
|
Patrick
Woodwide |
£10,600.00
|
|
The
Steensons |
£8,926.40
|
|
Fiona
Kerr |
£1,600.00
|
|
Andy
Magee |
£16,660.80
|
| |
Maurice
McIlroy |
£12,560 |
| |
Margaret
Matthews |
£16,000 |
| |
Alex
McAuley |
£10,034 |
TCD02
|
David
Cooke |
£30,000.00
|
TCD03
|
Billy
Andys |
£11,392.50
|
FARM
DIV |
Edwin
Crawford |
£24,750.00
|
MOYLE
COUNCIL AREA |
|
|
Measure
|
Project
|
Awarded
|
NKNT
Business |
Liam
McGarry |
£10,000.00
|
|
Ardclinis
|
£7,500.00
|
|
Glenview
Foods |
£10,000.00
|
|
Bailey
Waste |
£10,000.00
|
|
Alex
McMullan |
£10,000.00
|
|
Causeway
Machinery |
£10,000.00
|
|
Bonamargy
Chocolates |
£5,255.00
|
|
Warehouse
Fitness |
£10,000.00
|
|
AW
Solutions |
£6,900.00
|
|
Damien
McFaul |
£10,000.00
|
|
JL
Laundry |
£7,000.00
|
|
James
McGowan |
£9,493.00
|
|
Gerard
McFall |
£10,000.00
|
|
Daniel
McVicker |
£13,118.00
|
|
Peter
Dallat |
£10,000.00
|
|
Breege
McAuley |
£11,181.25
|
|
Eddie
Ferguson |
£7,800.00
|
|
Anthony
Devlin |
£7,500.00
|
|
Hugh
Henderson |
£9,750.00
|
|
Genevieve
McLernon |
£12,790.00
|
|
Kathleen
McNeill |
£9,550.00
|
|
Grace
McMullan |
£2,555.63
|
|
Alex
McMullan |
£11,496.00
|
| |
Mary
McKillop |
£4,339 |
| |
Owen
Fyfe |
£8,000 |
| |
William
McCurdy |
£2,600 |
NKNT
Technology |
Daniel
McVicker |
£10,000.00
|
|
Brian
Connolly |
£2,606.41
|
|
Causeway
Joinery |
£3,000.00
|
|
Jane
Kane |
£2,850.00
|
|
Anne
McNeill |
£2,000.00
|
NKNT
FOOD |
Shauna
McFall |
£1,700.00
|
|
Maud
Laverty |
£9,669.00
|
FARM
DIV |
Martha
McCurry |
£23,653.12
|
|
Gerard
Scally |
£39,000.00
|
|
Alan
Laverty |
£39,000.00
|
|
Nan
Wilkinson |
£10,596.88
|
TCD
02 |
Hamish
Currie |
£937.50
|
|
Tulla
Crafts |
£2,796.12
|
|
Brian
Connolly |
£10,000.00
|
|
Paul
McAuley |
£4,513.13
|
|
Mark
Stafford |
£10,000.00
|
|
Chris
Wilson |
£2,393.50
|
|
Hamish
Currie |
£1,710.00
|
|
Patsy
McBride |
£9,930.00
|
|
Richard
Lafferty |
£21,677.80
|
|
Sean
McBride |
£10,000.00
|
|
Mary
Farrell |
£9,275.00
|
TCD
03 |
McCollams
|
£12,500.00
|
BALLYMONEY
COUNCIL AREA |
|
|
Measure
|
Project
|
Awarded
|
NKNT
Business |
Pets
Paradise |
£10,000.00
|
|
Kingfisher
Designs |
£10,000.00
|
|
Garryduff
|
£5,000.00
|
|
Waste
Not |
£10,000.00
|
|
Charlie
O'Hagan |
£10,000.00
|
|
A
& R Taggart |
£10,000.00
|
|
James
Gaston |
£5,000.00
|
|
Maine
Engineering |
£20,000.00
|
|
Causeway
Pallets |
£10,000.00
|
|
SJH
Cleaning Services |
£4,150.00
|
|
Mark
Dunlop |
£10,605.00
|
|
Robin
Marrs |
£24,058.00
|
|
Robert
Taggart |
£20,000.00
|
|
Brendan
Cochrane |
£8,120.00
|
|
Brian
McLernon |
£30,000.00
|
|
Stephen
Cunning |
£30,000.00
|
|
|
Eugene
Dixon |
£40,000.00
|
| |
Basil
Haslett |
£11,400 |
| |
Nigel
Kirpatrick |
£9,420 |
| |
Nigel
McLester |
£315.01 |
NKNT Technology
|
A
& P McGregor |
£7,500.00
|
|
Waste
Not e-commerce |
£3,000.00
|
|
Wm
Loughridge |
£1,825.00
|
|
A&
P McGregor |
£3,496.50
|
NKNT FOOD |
D
McCloskey |
£6,995.00
|
|
John
McDowell |
£20,312.00
|
TCD01
|
Louise
Foster |
£15,000.00
|
TCD03 |
Patrick
McCann's |
£12,500.00
|
|
Glenbush
|
£12,500.00
|
TCD
02 |
Tommy
Louden |
£10,000.00
|
|
David
King |
£1,110.66
|
|
Stephanie
Moffett |
£4,000.00
|
BALLYMENA
COUNCIL AREA |
|
|
Measure
|
Project
|
Awarded
|
NKNT
Business |
Carnview
Farms |
£8,750.00
|
|
James
McQuillan |
£8,500.00
|
|
Noel
Ferguson |
£10,000.00
|
|
David
McBride |
£8,000.00
|
|
Ashgrove
Engineering |
£10,000.00
|
|
SRJ
Davison |
£10,000.00
|
|
Nigel
Weir |
£10,000.00
|
|
Ben
Vista |
£10,000.00
|
|
Ferguson
Meats |
£6,210.50
|
|
Richard
McIlroy |
£5,250.00
|
|
Drew
Gault |
£10,000.00
|
|
Diane
Bamber |
£13,951.20
|
|
James
Currie |
£40,000.00
|
|
Marion
Heron |
£6,988.00
|
| |
Hugh
Anderson |
£9,600 |
| |
Gerard
Graham |
£11,625 |
| |
Colm
McGuckian |
£2,600 |
| |
Ian
Rankin |
£10,000 |
| |
MJ
Doherty |
£14,607 |
|
Gary
McConnell |
£36,241.60
|
NKNT
Technology |
Jenny
Bristow |
£3,000.00
|
|
Slemish
Water |
£10,000.00
|
|
Gerard
Graham |
£1,800.00
|
FARM
DIV |
Carnview
Farms |
£20,000.00
|
NKNT
FOOD |
Hugh
Reid |
£33,500.00
|
TCD02
|
Christine
McCready |
£7,925.00
|
Although
this table does not show applicants who withdrew from
the programme or who were successful but unable to proceed
due to planning restrictions or matched funding issues
it does provide an excellent overview of the types of
projects and the variation of businesses which are in
existence throughout the North Antrim area.
Last updated
on 4th September 2008
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