Wiltshire to receive £2.6 million from Government to support rural businesses and communities - 12 May, 2023

Picture of a cow with an ear-tag.

I am thrilled that Wiltshire is set to receive more than £2.5 million from the Government to support rural businesses and countryside communities, as well as creating jobs, over the next two years.

Last year Defra announced the £110 million Rural England Prosperity Fund and it was confirmed in April that Wiltshire Council will receive £2,649,324 over the next two financial years. This money can be invested in initiatives such as farm diversification, projects to boost rural tourism, and community infrastructure projects including electric vehicle charging stations. The funding will also help people start up local businesses to supercharge growth and create employment opportunities for rural areas.

The Rural Prosperity Fund is a top-up to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It marks change from previous bureaucratic and fragmented EU funds, allowing England to take back control of its own growth investment and giving local leaders a greater say in where funding is best spent.

Rural areas hold unique opportunities for growth and with the right investment and support we can harness that potential to create jobs and help deliver on the Government’s priority to grow the economy.

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