Kent Downs and Marshes Leader

Welcome to the Kent downs and Marshes Leader website.

The RDPE Leader Programme

The RDPE Leader Programme is a European Union rural funding approach, with grant money available to rural businesses and communities from late 2008 until 2013.

There are two Leader areas in Kent, each managed by a panel of local representatives, known as the Local Action Groups.

The Kent Downs and Marshes group is assisted by Kent County Council, and covers parts of:

Medway
Swale
Maidstone
Ashford
Canterbury
Shepway
Dover

To be eligible for funding through a Leader Local Action Group, your business must lie within a Local Action Group area. To find out whether you are located in a Leader Local Action Group area, use the SEEDA Postcode Lookup Tool, found on the SEEDA LEADER pages 

The West Kent area is being led by the West Kent Partnership and covers:

Sevenoaks
Tonbridge and Malling
Tunbridge Wells

Leader can provide grants of up to £50,000, depending upon the project, although match funding will be required in many cases. This money can be provided towards capital or revenue costs, and is available to social and community groups, and to rural and land based businesses. Projects seeking funding must be able to fit with the overall strategies of the Local Action Groups, broadly these are:

- improve the competitiveness and sustainability of Kent's land-based sectors through diversification, innovation, and adding value to products

- fostering sustainable rural tourism and related businesses

- assisting rural communities and businesses in managing change and combating rural deprivation

More detailed information on the RDPE Programme, including funding eligibilities and restrictions and intervention rates, is available on the DEFRA website  Alternatively please contact the relevant Programme Manager:

West Kent Area:

Caroline Lingham-  West Kent Leader Programme Manager
(01732) 227000 westkentleader@sevenoaks.gov.uk

Kent Downs and Marshes Area:

Huw Jarvis-    Kent Downs and Marshes Leader Programme Manager
(01622) 696940 huw.jarvis@kent.gov.uk

Richard Hall-  Kent Downs and Marshes Leader Project Officer
(01622) 221389 richard.hall@kent.gov.uk

Key documents for applicants can be downloaded here

 KD&M Leader - Key Information for applicants

 KD&M Leader - Guide to the Local Development Strategy

 KD&M Leader - Local Development Strategy

 Expression of Interest Form - Rural businesses, Community groups etc...

 Expression of Interest Form - Farmers, growers etc...

 Full Application Form - Rural businesses, Community groups etc...

 Full Application Form - Farmers, growers etc...

The Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) is funded by Defra and the EU, and managed by SEEDA.

 This site is currently under development.