PHASE 1. SET-UP OF THE LOCAL ACTION GROUP

PHASE 1. SET-UP OF THE LOCAL ACTION GROUP

Insights from the case-study Suggested actions

MAIN ACTORS Self-assessment questions

The idea of establishing the LAG came from a group of persons with the necessary credibility, competences and public support at the local level, as they were already active in the area with the “Orso Verde” consortium. Right since the very beginning, thanks to the initiative of the LAG's promoters, various types of players with strong links to the area were involved: farmers and agricultural cooperatives, agronomists and local public administrations. The LAG enabled the creation of a public-private partnership in which the private sector plays a leading role. Criteria were established for new local actors to become members of the Local Action Group. In each programming period, the members of the LAG confirm their participation and possible enlargements are envisaged.  Identify a group of public and private actors with the necessary credibility, competences and wide public support at the local level, that is able to motivate and mobilise the local community.

 Involve all possible interest groups right since the set-up of the Local Action Group, starting from representatives of public and private socioeconomic interests at local level.

 Identify clear rules for management within the public-private initiative: establish membership criteria, decision making bodies and their professional staff team.  Which types of actors (institutional, social, private) can be involved in creating the local action group?

Which are the potential partners in the area?

 Will the Local Action Group be a predominantly public or private initiative?

 Is there a common vision among key political and economic actors at local level to actively engage in fostering a sustainable structural change of the local society?

MAIN RESOURCES

The promoters were convinced of the LEADER programme and the development opportunities it could bring to the target rural area. Technical experts gave them assistance to understand the functioning of the programme and its funding. The promoters made a strong direct contribution in the form of human resources and technical and management skills, gradually identifying the resources and skills needed to manage LEADER funds. Numerous local actors, both public and private, demonstrated from the outset their willingness to be involved in the process of setting up the LAG.  Establish a clear internal organization identifying the economic and administrative skills required to administrate funds.

 Have a professional and committed technical team of experts and ensure continuous training and capacity-building.  Identify financing sources at different levels for setup and initial activities.  Leverage on local social capital as a resource to commit private and public local actors to actively participate and cooperate.  What skills do the Local Action Group need to achieve the desired results?

 Do the actors involved already have the necessary specific technical competences and expertise?  Are the actors willing to participate actively and cooperate?  What kind of local, regional, national or international initiatives could financially and technically support this type of initiative?

MAIN ACTIVITIES

The LAG “Maiella Verde” was born with a strongly private and agricultural component, with technical expertise at its core. It relied a bottom-up vision of the area's development processes, focusing on the needs of local producers. Nevertheless, it was necessary to directly involve local governments in the process to establish the LAG. In order to become a LAG, the promoters elaborated the statute, which established the public-private nature and the desire to have a large social base. The statute provided that all local actors, individually or associated, could be partners of the consortium company, and that there should be a share capital. This led to create limited liability consortium which represents relevant public and private actors, in both the shareholder structure and the board of directors. It facilitates local institutions, economic stakeholders, technical experts and other community actors to meet each other, conveying needs, ideas and proposals for action.  Provide the LAG with clear internal governance structures and elaborate a statute that establish how to become a member and how to contribute to the share capital.

 Involve not only the LAG promoters, but also other local key actors that are needed to ensure the LAG functioning.

 Build an inclusive local partnership, ensuring a primary role to private actors from different sectors especially representing small producers and communities.  How can a statute be drawn up setting out key aspects (how to become a member, internal governance structure, etc.)?

 Is the Local Action Group able to involve actors other than promoters in this first phase?

 Is the partnership developed representative of the public, private and social sectors in the area in which the local action group wishes to operate?