Small communities

The government aims to target vulnerable municipalities and local communities in particular and has laid down a strategy from 2006–2009 for the development of small communities.

The strategy for small communities focuses on ensuring:

• a good range of services and welfare
• attractive local communities
• business development

The funding allocated to the small community strategy have been spent on supporting pilot projects in small communities.

Small communities are defined as areas geographically isolated from regional centres, experiencing a sustained depopulation and with a vulnerable commercial structure. The Ministry does not wish to categorise certain areas as small communities, but rather allows the county authorities and municipalities to define strategies for small communities within their own regions.