EMRAF sponsors Rural Charter Award
EMRAF is delighted to support an award that acknowledges and promotes the ongoing positive role of East Midlands businesses in maintaining a living and working countryside. This is a great opportunity to celebrate the achievements of organisations across the region that have made a real difference to rural communities in the East Midlands. |
Lincolnshire preparing Rural Strategy
Ivan Annibal, Head of Economic Development of Lincolnshire County Council, gives his views on the role of local authorities in creating a local climate for businesses to prosper |
Hands on the plough to think Farming and Food
New recruits give a welcome boost to the implementation of “Think Farming and Food”, the regional delivery plan for the Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food.
Find out who they are and what they will be doing.
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Rural works of Business Links
For this issue of Rural Affairs we asked Business Links in the East Midlands to tell us about the services they offer to rural businesses in the region. |
A Shop in a Box
Nottinghamshire Rural Community Council introduce their “Shop In A Box” plan, a project developed to restore retail provision in rural communities when the traditional village shop closes. |
EMRAF News
Stronger links between EMRAF and Ministers
EMRAF's Chair, Pam Smith welcomed announcements in the Government's Rural Strategy 2004 to strengthen Ministers engagement with the regional Rural Affairs Forums to improve their direct understanding of the pressures, challenges and opportunities in each region. The Chairs of the regional Rural Affairs Forums will meet on a quarterly basis with Alun Michael and other Ministers. Pam is keen to make the most of the opportunities. “In a diverse region like the East Midlands it will always be difficult to represent all interests, but as Chair of the Forum I do want to ensure that as many different interests as possible are able to contribute to the debate and engage with the work of the Forum.”
Pam Smith OBE Chair of EMRAF
EMRAF Review
The Rural Strategy 2004 also enhanced EMRAF's role in enabling the voice and experience of grass-root organisations to inform regional policy and delivery. GOEM is currently leading a review of EMRAF to ensure the Forum is fit for purpose to take on this work. The review is due to report in March 2005. For more information, contact John Green, 0115 9712529
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Ensuring a Positive Deal For Rural Enterprise
Frolesworth Farm in Leicestershire has converted redundant buildings into offices with help from Business Link farm business advisors
Business Services East Midlands (BSEM) and the Business Link Network are keen to work with EMRAF to ensure their policies and services make a positive impact on businesses in rural areas of the East Midlands.
At its meeting on January 6th, EMRAF focused on rural business and enterprise. Rural businesses make a major contribution to the region’s economic success and the future of rural areas to a significant degree depends upon the success of those businesses.
Improving business support is an important element of The Rural Strategy 2004. The strategy strengthens the role of the regional development agencies, putting The East Midlands in a position to take a leading role in bringing real change about.
EMRAF will support BSEM in “rural proofing” their overall plan and emerging services. Through EMRAF, BSEM can access the specialist rural knowledge and expertise of EMRAF’s members which includes the Region’s Business Links, that will in turn contribute to a more effective delivery of business support and advice to rural businesses.
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Rural Housing
EMRAF has set up a Rural Housing Practitioners Group to work with the Regional Housing Board to ensure appropriate rural provision of affordable housing.
The Countryside Agency has published research findings about how the interpretation of planning policy influences the provision of affordable housing.
For more information contact
Derk van der Wardt on
0115 9712529
Regional Rural Delivery Framework
GOEM is working with a range of partners to develop a framework for delivery of the Rural Strategy 2004 in the East Midlands. This document, which will be finalised by the end of March, will help to co-ordinate the work of organisations involved in the delivery of rural policy.
For more information contact
Alex Bowness on 0115 9712529
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Welcome to Rural Affairs, EMRAFs online-newsletter
Stop Press
Rural Charter Business Champion
takes top award read
With full-feature articles, extra articles, contact information and links to futher reading, complementing the Rural Affairs newsletter.
If you would like a free subscription to the Rural Affairs Newsletter, please send an email to emraf@ruralaffairs.org.uk with your name, organisation, address and number of copies you wish to receive.
View previous online editions here |
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Events
Countryside Agency Regional Conference
January 28th 2005
The Countryside Agency is holding an event to inform about the development of new delivery mechanisms for rural areas and what they mean for rural partners.
Venue: PERA, Melton Mowbray
More information: Conference Helpline, 01564 797620
Regional Seminar for Rural Voluntary, Community and Faith Groups
March 14th 2005
A seminar to discuss how to co-ordinate the work of the rural organisations across the region and raise the voice of the voluntary, community and faith sectors.
Venue: PERA, Melton Mowbray
More information: Becky Nixon,
Contact number TBC
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Contact Us
Rural Affairs is the newsletter of the East Midlands Rural Affairs Forum. For any queries regarding content and circulation, please contact
Derk van der Wardt,
EMRAF Co-Ordinator
at 01623 727600
or email emraf@ruralaffairs.org.uk
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