The government announced earlier this week that a £200 million fund will be made available to be invested in rural communities and businesses. Lord Gardiner revealed the plans while announcing the latest round of Rural Development Programme for England funding. The fund will be used to invest in rural businesses and broadband projects and to support farming and rural tourism, and it is expected that the programme will create more than 6000 new jobs, providing a fantastic boost to rural areas. As an MP for one of England's most rural constituencies, I welcome this great news, which will make a huge difference to our area.
