CONSULTATION ON THE EAST MIDLANDS RURAL ACTION PLAN

What is it?
The Rural Action Plan Consultation Draft sets out an overarching vision for rural areas of the East Midlands in 2013, how action might be taken to achieve the priorities identified in the Rural Delivery Framework and where a step change is required to ensure we achieve this vision. To achieve the objectives and suggested outcomes for each of the 7 priorities, the draft Rural Action Plan also proposes indicative actions for organisations working at the sub-regional and local level.

The Rural Action Plan will update the existing emda Rural Action Plan and will also be used to guide implementation of the recently revised Regional Economic Strategy.

What is the background?
In 2003 EMRAF agreed to review the existing Rural Action Plan by emda and seek to replace it with a regionally owned document covering action to address socio-economic, community and environmental issues affecting the rural East Midlands.

Since then, the Government have produced a Rural Strategy, setting out its objectives for rural policy and ways to modernise the way that policy is delivered.
As part of this agenda, the Government Office for the East Midlands was asked to lead on the development of a Regional Rural Delivery Framework to inform the tailoring of Defra resources to regional circumstances, develop coherence between various regional and national policies and strategies and to determine regional priorities and actions.
During the development of this Regional Rural Delivery Framework, it became evident that the way policy and services are delivered at the local level, in response to local circumstances, is pivotal to the success of addressing rural issues.

As the key body in the region bringing together rural stakeholders in the region, EMRAF has now taken the lead in developing a dialogue between regional, sub-regional and local organisations in the statutory, private and voluntary sector to establish what action needs to be taken to address rural issues across the region.

How does this link to the Rural Delivery Framework?
The consultation on the Framework is currently taking place to consider the 7 Priorities and proposed actions that rural organisations should take.

The 7 Priorities are

• Improving access to affordable rural housing
• Increasing the quality of the region's green areas (green infrastructure)
• Improving enterprise, innovation and employment opportunities
• Improving accessibility to jobs and services
• Developing active communities
• Supporting existing land-based and other rural business, and adapting to economic change
• Addressing climate change

The Rural Action Plan will complement and build on the priorities identified in the framework. It will develop and refine these priorities to identify specific objectives for action particularly at the sub-regional and local level.

How can you respond to the Consultation?
We are asking you to respond to the consultation questions to ensure we achieve our shared vision for the rural East Midlands. Our aim is to stimulate discussion between regional agencies and local stakeholders and between local organisations in their respective areas to inform the further development of the local actions and the tailoring of national and regional resources to local circumstances.

We are also asking you to let us have your comments and suggestions on the proposed indicators to capture and monitor the state of the rural East Midlands and monitor progress against achieving the objectives set out in the plan.

Click Here to download The Rural Action Plan Consultation Draft and RAP Consultation Form

To order hard copies of this document, Please contact Lynn Hage, EMRAF communications officer at 01623 727600 or e-mail lhage@nottsrcc.org.uk

In case of any queries with regards to this consultation, please contact
Derk van der Wardt, EMRAF co-ordinator
Tel : 0115 971 2508
e-mail : dvanderwardt@nottsrcc.org.uk

For hardcopies and further information on the Framework, please contact the GOEM Rural Affairs Team
Tel: 0115 971 2529 or e-mail goem.rural@goem.gsi.gov.uk

Download documents here:

Rural Action Plan Consultation Draft

RAP Consultation Response Form

East Midlands Rural Delivery Framework
Click on this link to visit the 'weblog' specially designed for the consultation on this document.
www.ruralnet.typepad.com/emrdf/

Rural Development Programme for England
Please click here to go to the Defra website with details of this consultation
http://www.defra.gov.uk/Corporate/consult/current.htm

We would welcome the opportunity to come and talk to your organisation or network as part of this consultation on the Rural Action Plan

e-mail: emraf@nottsrcc.org.uk