Rural Aberdeenshire Local Action Group

The Rural Aberdeenshire LEADER programme 2008-2014 is now closed
Please visit www.local-development.eu for details of the new programme.




LEADER is delivered by the Rural Aberdeenshire Local Action Group (LAG), a partnership comprising representatives from community, business, land based, youth, and women's groups in the area, together with representatives from public sector organisations.

Aberdeenshire Council is the lead partner in the LAG.

Details of the LAG Partnership are located in the Document Library.

The area covered by the Rural Aberdeenshire LAG is the Aberdeenshire local authority area minus the western part, which is covered by the Cairngorms LAG, and settlements with a population of over 5,000.

In 2007, the Rural Aberdeenshire LAG undertook a series of community consultations and surveys, with the aim of identifying key issues and priorities, which shaped the Local Development Strategy to deliver LEADER in rural Aberdeenshire.

The two key themes the Rural Aberdeenshire LAG Strategy is focusing on are:
Revitalising Communities and Progressive Rural Economy.

The priorities the Rural Aberdeenshire LAG Strategy is focusing on are:

  • Sustainable Communities
  • Sustainable Energy
  • Innovative Value Added Products and Markets
  • Sustainable Tourism Development
  • Innovative Micro Enterprise
  • Versatile Rural Workforce
  • Conservation of the Rural Environment.

The overarching Community Planning Themes of Community Wellbeing, Jobs and the Economy, Lifelong Learning and Sustainable Environment are core to the partnership and operation of the Rural Aberdeenshire LAG.

Members of the Rural Aberdeenshire LAG include:

  • Aberdeenshire Council
  • Scottish Enterprise
  • Forestry Commission Scotland
  • Scottish Natural Heritage
  • VisitScotland
  • Aberdeenshire Community Councils
  • Aberdeenshire Councils for Voluntary Service
  • Aberdeenshire Rural Partnership Federation - Current Vacancy
  • Scottish Women's Rural Institute
  • Scottish Youth Parliament
  • National Farmers Union Scotland
  • Scottish Land and Estates
  • Federation of Small Businesses
  • National Health Service
  • Grampian Regional Project Assessment Committee (RPAC Chair)