§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will make a statement on the withdrawal of the vital villages scheme and its potential impact of the continuation of voluntary shop initiatives in rural areas; [179295]
1428W(2) what funding schemes are available for voluntary shops. [179296]
§ Alun MichaelThe vital villages scheme was established in 2001 as a time-limited programme. The Countryside Agency has met its three-year target to help rural communities to help themselves and to demonstrate good practice through the vital villages scheme and the programme is now closed to new applicants.
During 2004–05 the Countryside Agency will continue to provide funding to rural voluntary shops from the vital villages programme where existing commitments exist.
Other possible sources of funding and support for voluntary shops include: funding from district councils; for those eligible, rate relief from local authorities; community bond and share schemes, through which some community shoos have raised funds; and, for those with strong community backing, Defra's Rural Enterprise Scheme.
§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she last met representatives of the Village Retail Services Association; and if she will make a statement of what help is now forthcoming to that organisation. [179321]
§ Alun MichaelI last met representatives from the Village Retail Services Association (ViRSA) on 16 December 2003 and I have a further meeting arranged in early July 2004. The Government value the work of the associations for its support to village shops and post offices.
The Countryside Agency has recently been approached for funding by ViRSA and progress has been made towards agreeing support to fund formal Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative accreditation for several ViRSA fieldworkers, which will allow them to contract to Business Links to provide advice and support to rural retailers. Once accredited, fieldworkers could generate more income for ViRSA and in addition to the Countryside Agency is willing to fund a Business Counselling Training seminar for ViRSA fieldworkers associated with their accreditation.
ViRSA has also proposed that the agency fund a joint meeting and that the agency help with support costs of ViRSA in developing regional relationships and securing future funding—particularly with the rural development agencies with whom the remit for advice to rural retailers (via Business Links) will lie. The agency is awaiting a costed breakdown of what ViRSA's aims, objectives and projected outputs are for these areas of work.