WEST Devon is hotly tipped for a £5.6-million pound cash injection in a competition to win vital funds for rural communities. Project leaders are confident a bid for a portion of the £28-million 'Local Action' fund from the South West Regional Development Agency will be successful, despite strong competition. The 'Greater Dartmoor' project is one of 35 across the South West bidding for cash to help boost local economies. More than £86-million has been requested in total. Detailed bids must be submitted by May with funding decisions announced in the summer. Chief economic officer for West Devon Borough Council, Tim Beavon, who is heading the project, is optimistic. 'We have a strong case. I am quite confident we will get quite a reasonable chunk of money,' he said. 'It is all about community development and getting the community involved. We are talking about £5 million over five years over quite a large area, so it will not be big capital projects but small scale local projects that will make a difference.' The focus will be on business development, improving links and people's access to services in the Greater Dartmoor area which includes the whole of West Devon and small areas of the South Hams and Teignbridge. Three parishes in Caradon — Calstock, St Dominick and Stoke Climsland will also be included because of the World Heritage mining landscape which links the two boroughs. The main targets will be to develop local supply chains and encourage the purchase of local products, help set up new businesses, link the assets of the area like the natural environment and the cultural heritage to business development and find niche markets. There will also be a major focus on improving access to services and looking at different ways that services can be provided such as being taken out into the community. 'We will be looking at things like car sharing, car clubs and community buses, local solutions like that,' added Mr Beavon. 'The whole philosophy is helping the community work together so they can help themselves.' People from different sectors of the community will be sought for a local action group who will eventually decide on what projects are funded. It is hoped that people involved with the Market and Coastal Towns Initiative over the last few years will get involved and some of the work can be carried forward. Mr Beavon said: 'This could be a good way of getting some of the projects under the Market and Coastal Towns Initiative implemented.'
