Audrey Roy from Defra's Rural Communities Policy Unit presents challenges to developing rural policy looking forward to 2020

1. RURAL POLICY TOWARDS 2020
Audrey Roy
Rural Communities Policy Unit
Defra

2. Renewed commitment to Rural England: the
new national context
• The RCPU – established 1st
April 2011 – a centre of rural expertise
• Rural Statement – Government wide vision and commitment to
rural England – snapshot in time.
• CRC Closed - 31st
March 2013: A move away from a statutory
independent advisor and non-regulatory watchdog
• Renewed emphasis on all Government Departments taking
responsibility for rural proofing their policies
• Supported by the RCPU to strengthen their rural proofing efforts

3. •Rural Economic Growth & Rural Growth Networks
•Broadband and Mobile Infrastructure (MIP)
•Renewable energy fund
•Planning reforms & Housing
•Transport
•Rural Services
•Rural Development Programme 2014-2020
RCPU : priorities 2014 +

4. Priorities
Planning & Housing
Broadband & MIP
Transport
Rural Services
Fuel Poverty & Energy

5. RCPU : What’s been happening?
Completed 5 Rural Proofing Review
meetings with Lord Cameron and OGDs
Refreshed rural tourism policy to help
rural businesses attract visitors to
their destinations under the new Rural
Development Programme
Local enterprise partnership & LEADER
group Indicative allocations
Awarded over £2.6m of transition/preparatory
support funding to 91 prospective LEADER
groups.
Delivered successful rural proofing workshops
with OGDs (D0H,DCMS BIS & DWP)
Successfully worked with DfE on their review of Schools funding
Formula, resulting in a dedicated sum for rural schools.
Over 40 meetings between RFNs and
Ministers across the country have been
held in the last 18 months
Designed and launched the Rural
Communities Energy Fund
Funding a project to look at
additional costs facing rural
authorities with DCLG
Agreed grant funding to support the
Wheels to Work Association in
2014/15 with DfT

6. National Rural
Proofing Guidelines
Rural Proofing

7. Lord Cameron review
• The Rural Proofing Implementation review .
• The review will;
• provide an independent assessment of our government departments
have applied rural proofing.
• comment on the effectiveness of the advice and support provided by
the RCPU,
• and the contribution this makes towards ensuring that departments
are designing and delivering policies that are fair and effective in
rural areas.
• The review is expected to report to Ministers in Autumn 2014.

8. Community Led Local Development,
including Leader and FLAGs
Maritime and
Fisheries
Programme
(EMFF)
Rural
Development
Programme
(EAFRD)
Growth Programme
(ERDF, ESF & EAFRD)
Projects
Rural Development Programme 2014 +

9. • Socio- economic trends – demographic changes
(ageing faster)
• Services withdrawal – PO, libraries, banks
• Connectivity - Transport ; Broadband ;
• Housing – demand continues
• Alternative models of service delivery – local vs
national; social enterprise vs public/private;
technology – v face to face;
Rural communities’ resilience

10. Rural Policy questions
What are the priorities post 2014
What are the evidence gaps
Stakeholders – what are the common messages?
Rural voice – Need to speak up
Cross Government influence – where else to target
APGs, LGA?
Local solutions – better national networking?