Rural Support : 1995 - 1997

The rural areas of Dumfries and Galloway have benefited from initiatives ranging from the FARM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME, aimed at making farm businesses more competitive, to the DRIVING LESSONS SUBSIDY SCHEME, to benefit people in remote areas and help improve their employment prospects.

Additionally, TECHNICAL SUPPORT has been given to a range of projects to assist with the development of local community initiatives, or with feasibility studies. Unemployed people have also been assisted with the costs of short training courses to help them into employment or self employment under the SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAMME.

• FARM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME Over 100 farms have benefited from consultancy grants totalling £ 28,000 Sterling.
• DRIVING LESSONS SUBSIDY SCHEME : 110 unemployed people have been assisted with driving lessons, and to date (October 1997) 19 have obtained employment.
• SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAMME : Over 40 unemployed people have received training grants totalling £ 8,500 Sterling in order to take up employment or to go self employed.
• TECHNICAL SUPPORT : The Port Road Railway Society (Dumfries) was one of 38 organisations to receive technical assistance. A feasibility study was carried out to assess the potential of re-opening a section of railway track in Dumfries for freight and tourist purposes, so that the Diesel Shunter (pictured right) and other engines and rolling stock can be restored and put back into use.