We have been allocated £650,332 from the Government’s Rural England Prosperity Fund (Rural Fund) to be invested in rural projects over the next two financial years with £162,583 available in the current financial year and £487,749 in 2024/25.

The Rural Fund is a top up to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). Its aim is to provide support to rural areas where challenges such as poor connectivity and access to key services are common.

In November 2022, we submitted an investment plan to the Government which supports small businesses and communities in Teignbridge’s rural areas through the projects below. This was approved at Full Council in November 2022.

The projects are:

• Teignbridge Rural Broadband Grant (Summer 2023) – Aimed at enhancing digital connectivity. This grant will help businesses and residents in hard-to-reach rural areas achieve faster broadband speeds of at least 30mbps.
• Transport Pilot Programme (2024/25) – A small number of projects aimed at creating and enhancing better transport connections between Teignbridge’s rural areas, towns and villages.
• Rural Business and Communities Fund (2024/25) - A competitive grant programme designed to support the vitality of Teignbridge’s rural businesses and community organisations.