Councils play a key role in delivering services in rural areas and in the delivery of rural economic development, social and community regeneration interventions and activities across Rural Wales.  

Councils have been key partners in the delivery of the Welsh Government and EU funded Rural Development Plan, in particular the socio-economic measures and the LEADER aspects of the Plan.  

Councils want to ensure continued investment in rural communities via the UK funding programmes, particularly the Communities and Place Investment Priority of the Shared Prosperity Fund.  

WLGA continues to champion the key role of councils in delivering services and funding programmes across Rural Wales. WLGA’s lobbying is focused on progressing the key asks outlined in its Rural Manifesto and in achieving the vision for Rural Wales published in 2021.  

Our rural work is informed by the WLGA Rural Forum, bringing together Senior Members and Officers from across councils, and the association of national parks, to champion rural issues and ensure that national policy makers factor the additional costs of providing services and support in rural communities as they design and develop new legislative, policy and funding programmes.  

WLGA has input to many of the working groups informing the development and design of the Agriculture (Wales) Bill, including the Sustainable Farming Scheme, which replaces the direct support to farmers funded by Pillar 1 of the EU Common Agriculture Policy.