RURAL communities and business owners are being urged to ensure they secure a share of a new European funding pot.

The Country Land and Business Association is encouraging its members to engage with local groups responsible for administering the LEADER programme.

The LEADER project is part of the rural development programme for England.

It is jointly funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

The programme is due to start in January 2015.

Government ministers have tasked LEADER groups with delivering the new rural funding on a local level.

CLA north policy director Douglas Chalmers said: "There are 17 LEADER groups throughout Yorkshire, Cumbria, Lancashire and the North East, which need ideas and suggestions from local farmers and rural business owners as to how the money should be spent.

"LEADER programmes have a tremendous track record for delivering projects at a local level and the Government has now made it clear that jobs and business growth must be the priorities for future funding."

The LEADER project is part of the Rural Development Programme for England.

It is a French acronym for: "Liaison Entre Actions de Développement de l'Économie Rurale" which translates roughly as: "Links between activities developing the rural economy."

LEADER Local Action Groups (LAGs) are made up of representatives of a local community, including the farming and business sector, who decide which projects should be supported.

Mr Chalmers added: "LEADER is basically a rural funding stream led and driven by those at grass roots in rural communities.

"We're urging farmers, landowners and other rural businessmen to put themselves forward to ensure their sector's interests are represented.

"This funding is a real opportunity to transform rural businesses, and as such help safeguard many of our remoter communities and the local environment".

The focus of the LEADER programme is to create growth, jobs and vibrant and sustainable communities across rural England.

Libby Kingsley, economic development and tourism manager at Rutland County Council, said, "We're inviting anyone located in the proposed LEADER area to have their say on how we develop this major programme of potentially over £1m which will drive economic growth and prosperity in our rural communities and businesses."

The European Union has already set out the priority areas for the next round of funding.

These are micro & small enterprises; farm diversification; increasing farm productivity; rural tourism; forestry productivity; and provision of rural services and heritage.