Local authorities may provide financial support to community and voluntary groups and local development companies for small infrastructural projects in eligible disadvantaged rural areas. These projects must support schools, community safety measures, the development of play and multi use game areas, and community wellbeing projects.
Local authorities coordinate youth councils which give young people under the age of 18 the chance to get involved in the development of policy and local services and discuss issues that affect them such as homelessness, mental health, physical health, cyber health and bullying.
Local authorities set up and support corporate policy groups to coordinate the work carried out by strategic policy committees and recommend agreed overall policy to the council.
Local authorities set up and support networks to encourage registered community, voluntary, social inclusion and environmental groups to take part in the council's decision-making and policy making processes, and to monitor local authority activities.
Local Action Groups may provide financial support to community and voluntary groups and businesses to develop rural tourism, enterprise development, broadband and renewable energy projects to improve rural economies and the quality of life in rural areas.
Local authorities may develop initiatives to attract people to live and work in rural communities such as enterprise and employment projects, transport initiatives, broadband services, digital hubs and e-working spaces.
Local authorities set up policy committees where elected councillors and representatives from social, economic, cultural, environmental, community and voluntary groups may advise on, develop and review council policy.