News:

• This will be the last Leader E-news before Christmas. The RDPE Network would like to wish you all a happy holiday and New Year and we are looking forward to working with you in 2012.
   
• 'Leader: Now and the Future' all of the presentations from our recent event are now online.
   
• Defra has launched the Rural Community Broadband Fund (RCBF), with confirmed funding of £20m. This enables the funding of superfast broadband projects in the most hard to reach areas in England. The Fund is being delivered as part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). The first round for expressions of interest is open until 31 January 2012.
   
• The government has announced a package of new measures designed to stimulate sustainable growth in the rural economy and help businesses reach their full potential. The measures, some of which are supported through RDPE, fall into five themes: Enabling Rural Business to Grow and Diversify; Supporting Rural Tourism; Expanding our Food and Drink Sector; Delivering Green Growth; Reducing Regulation on Farms.
   
• Farmers, environmental groups and others with an interest in the Common Agricultural Policy will be able to present their views on the European Commission’s proposed reforms, as part of an informal consultation in England launched by Defra on Monday.

Sharing Useful Information:

• There are now 1422 projects on our database. The latest to be added is Animal Bedding Company. This project, funded by the Solway, Border and Eden Local Acton Group, supports a new business which will produce animal bedding from waste cardboard. RDPE funding is to be used for minor building works and the acquisition of a shredding and baling system.  Thank you to everybody who has added projects - please keep them coming!
   
• The Leader Subcommittee took place on 23 November 2011. The presentations and an agenda from the day can be found here. The Northumberland Uplands LAG attended the meeting and their feedback can be found here.
   
• Please lookout for a separate e-mail and updates on the web area about the development of the England Leader Exchange Group, which is being established in the New Year.
   
• A new European Network for Rural Development publication entitled "Short guide to the Commission’s proposal for Rural Development after 2013" is now available to download. The guide provides an overview of the European Commission's proposals for the operation of Rural Development policy from 2014 to 2020.

Transnational Cooperation:

• The EN RD continues to develop its Transnational Cooperation (TNC) guide. As part of the guide you can find out information on TNC planning, TNC implementation, TNC follow up and a different member states TNC rules and procedures.
  
  The latest cooperation requests are from Sweden (Swedish mountainous area) and Greece (Park Protection).