Monthly Archives: September 2012

Rural Statement – what does it offer?

Is the Rural Statement a ‘new’ contract to empower communities or re-presentation of ‘old’ initiatives? Jessica Sellick finds out.

Under the strap line ‘new contract to give rural communities power to hold Government to account on rural growth’, the Rural Statement 2012 was launched by Environment Secretary Owen Paterson on 12 September 2012. This eagerly awaited document is intended to reaffirm the Government’s commitment to rural England. But what does the Statement say? And does it focus on issues of critical importance to rural communities? Jessica Sellick investigates.

In unveiling the Government’s Rural Statement 2012, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson described how “for too long rural England was neglected by central Government and its businesses struggled to achieve their ambitions. We’ve already transformed the prospects of thousands of rural businesses and want to make sure that change is felt in every part of rural England. To do this, we’ve created the first ‘rural contract’ to give rural areas the power to hold us to account on our promise to grow the rural economy and support thriving rural communities.” But what is this ‘contract’ and will it empower communities? What does the Statement actually mean for people who live, work in or visit rural England? I offer three points.

Firstly, the contents and presentation of the document. The Rural Statement can be traced back to April 2011, was officially announced in November 2011 and due for publication in spring 2012 (a previous article for the RSN sets out its trajectory). This time lapse has culminated in a 20-page document divided into three main sections: (1) economic growth, (2) rural engagement and (3) quality of life. Notwithstanding his department’s logo on the cover, Owen Paterson – who was only appointed as Secretary of State on 4 September 2012 – has emphasised this is the ‘Governments’ Rural Statement, not ‘Defras’ Rural Statement.

The delay in its publication has undoubtedly been driven by inputs from Number 10 and other Government Departments (e.g. HM Treasury, Energy and Climate Change, Communities and Local Government). With the intention of building upon the Rural Economy Growth Review and Plan for Growth, much of what remains is a recap of existing initiatives: from the creation of five Rural Growth Networks (RGNs) to the Rural Community Broadband Fund (RCBF); from the Red Tape Challenge to Buying Standards for Food and Catering; and from the Rural and Farming Network (RFN) to the Farm and Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS). At the Local Government Association Annual Conference and Rural Commission, Mr Paterson described this recap as a “useful bible” for galvanising how Defra is working with others across government to make the rural economy more prosperous.

With this in mind, it is clear from reading the Statement that it describes existing projects: from disseminating the findings of the Green Food Project to the compilation of a Government-wide Rural Proofing Package. Interestingly, the Statement has brought to the fore some original commitments set out in ‘Our Programme for Government’, including Home on the Farm Schemes. Alongside the old and forgotten, there are some new initiatives: from the Skills and Knowledge Transfer Programme to GO ON UK (digital skills campaign); from funding a national Wheels to Work co-ordinator for the period 2012-2013 to finding innovative ways of delivering library services and training 5,000 community organisers. However, many of these ideas and Government commitment to digital access/broadband, transport and local services are well rehearsed.

The Statement perhaps has most utility in the way it signals themes that cut across Government – namely localism and the big society, economic growth, quality of life and the sharing of good practice. But this means its look and feel, overall, does not necessarily depict the countryside that RSN readers recognise– it is picture postcard in terms of the images it contains (the landscape scene on page 6, the village setting on page 12) and hollowed out in terms of its final content. All-too-often it touches upon initiatives already in place and how these will further open up rural business opportunities in the near future rather than enthusing the reader.

Secondly, the Statement has stimulated debates around the relationship between the natural environment and the economy. On the one hand, the Statement has been welcomed as meeting the needs of rural businesses. Harry Cotterell (President of the CLA), for example, praised the Government’s recognition of the importance of broadband: “a fast and reliable internet connection is crucial for rural businesses to be able to compete with their urban-based counterparts. The process for rolling–out broadband to rural areas has been far too slow so I am pleased to see the Government has recognised this and is tackling this issue.”

On the other hand, Kate Ashbrook (General Secretary at the Open Spaces Society) believes that green spaces have been overlooked: “it’s time that government recognised the vital role of paths and access land, commons and green spaces, in boosting the rural economy.” And under the heading ‘it’s not JUST the economy stupid’, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) also expressed disappointment at the sidelining of environmental issues. According to Neil Sinden, (Director of Policy and Campaigns at CPRE) “the Statement does not consider how…moves by the…Government to liberalise permitted development rights on agricultural buildings could irreversibly damage rural landscapes and tranquillity. Support for local food offers a great opportunity for the sustainable development of rural economies, but disappointingly is not covered by the Statement”. From broadband and planning to recreation and food, growing an economy which invests in nature is vital. These themes run throughout the Natural Environment White Paper (NEWP), which is not referenced in the Statement at all.

Thirdly, how binding is the rural contract? Will it enable rural dwellers to hold Government to account on their promise? Although it is encouraging to see that as a ‘Government’ Rural Statement all departments and not just Defra as the ‘rural department’ have responsibility for its delivery, the document is not written with a contract in mind. How are the contents within it, then, going to be implemented and monitored? Who is accountable and how? In the words of Meurig Raymond (NFU Deputy President) “we now need to see action matching the rhetoric”.

How will the Statement fit into existing Defra processes such as the Capability Review, Business Plan Quarterly Data or on-the-ground activities such as the Rural and Farming Network and rural road shows Minsters will be participating in? Is such engagement robust enough to take up views from across rural England? How will the contract be adequately resourced? In this context, will the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Select Committee Inquiry into the work of Defra’s Rural Communities Policy Unit (RCPU), (which is taking place this Autumn and which many RSN Members have responded to) combined with a new Ministerial team at Defra led by ‘country man’ Owen Paterson provide a new platform for all things rural?

Will the Rural Statement 2012 provide a positive ‘new’ agenda for change or fail to address the different barriers and priorities affecting rural communities?

Jessica is a rural practitioner at Rose Regeneration. Her previous article setting out the trajectory of the Rural Statement can be found here and work documenting Defra’s refreshed Business Plan and Capability Action Plan here. Rose Regeneration has particular empathy and enthusiasm for rural and coastal issues. Work currently being undertaken includes: supporting a Rural Growth Network pilot area, researching rural poverty for Oxfam GB, developing and testing a Rural Economy Planning Toolkit and an evaluation of cultural led regeneration in seaside towns. Rose Regeneration previously supported Pennine Prospects with its application for the South Pennines to become a Local Nature Partnership (which received Government approval) and has completed Local Level Rural Proofing resources for Defra. Jessica can be contacted by email jessica.sellick@roseregeneration.co.uk or telephone 01522 521211. Website: www.roseregeneration.co.uk

Whose rural-urban fringe?

Land is one of our greatest assets, providing us with basic services, underpinning the economy and highlighting national identity and cultural heritage.

Yet the ‘rural-urban fringe’ – the countryside immediately around our towns and cities – has all-too-often been a neglected and wasted resource. With increasing demands being placed upon land, can we afford to overlook the potential of the ‘fringe’? Jessica Sellick investigates.

The rural-urban fringe – often referred to as the ‘outskirts’, a ‘hinterland’, ‘green land surrounding a built up area’, ‘on the edge of a settlement’ or ‘open land’ – is the landscape interface between town and country. Considered to be a transition zone where urban and rural uses interact (and complement or conflict) or as a separate landscape type in its own right; these areas are often administratively fragmented with no distinct identity leading to their neglect and undervalue.

Yet these areas are also under intense development pressure compounded by an inconsistent approach to growth, expansion and planning policy. Amid this lack of functional integrity, are there opportunities to realise the fringe as an asset for the purposes of highlighting urban and rural connectivities? How can we make the fringe not only an attractive and valued asset but also reconcile the pressures it is under? How can the ‘fringe’ ‘pay its way’ and become a site of investment and innovation? I offer three points.

Firstly, interest in the rural-urban fringe from policy and decision makers in the UK can be traced back to ‘unlocking the potential of the rural urban fringe‘, a consultation document published in 2004 by the Countryside Agency and Groundwork. The then chair of the Countryside Agency, Sir Ewan Cameron, stated: “Now is the time to make major and long-term improvements to the urban-rural fringe. At the moment this countryside is all too often badly planned and badly managed making it unattractive and neglected, it is a wasted asset.” The consultation took up the Government’s Urban White Paper (2000) and Sustainable Communities Plan (2003) to call for a strengthened relationship between town and country.

Regional Spatial Strategies, Local Development Frameworks and Community Strategies were all intended to unlock that potential and coordinate policies and actions at sub-regional and local levels. In 2005, the Countryside Agency and Groundwork followed this up with a ‘Vision’ for developing the ‘Countryside In and Around Towns‘ (CIAT). This publication outlined the importance of these multifunctional spaces and subsequently became a Programme of work within Natural England featuring demonstration examples and projects to meet the demand for countryside on the doorstep of towns.

In recent years there has been renewed interest in how the full economic, environmental and social potential of the rural-urban fringe can be unlocked. At an international level, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) “Rurban” Project is assessing the role of partnerships in responding to the specific needs of urban and rural areas and determining whether these arrangements should be further supported through public policies and/or regional rural policy instruments. Of particular relevance to RSN readers, the OECD’s analysis will assess rural-urban linkages around public service delivery, environmental services and infrastructure. The OECD is due to launch its findings and recommendations in October 2013.

At a European level, the Sustainable Urban Fringes (SURF) project has brought together partners from across the North Sea Region to exchange information and develop a common approach towards the sustainability of urban fringe areas. Taking place between 2009 and 2012, UK partners in the project include Aberdeen City Council, Leeds Metropolitan University, Norfolk County Council and Bradford Metropolitan District Council (Airedale Partnership). Key initiatives have included a review of urban fringe policies and a set of policy guidelines to tackle issues of governance and spatial planning. In 2011, Rose Regeneration worked with communities in the Worth Valley (on behalf of the Airedale Partnership) to help them think through their contribution to the competitiveness of the Leeds City Region and wider Yorkshire Region.

This was about creating synergies in an urban fringe context (e.g. around spatial planning, the environment) to help the community produce a meaningful Parish Plan. On 4 October 2012, the Airedale Partnership and Leeds Metropolitan University will host a conference entitled: ‘Localism beyond the City in a City Region Context – How can the urban/rural fringe progress in challenging times?’ The event will offer insights into the SURF project and how the rural-urban fringe might fare in the future (for more information please contact Saiqa Ramzan: saiqa.ramzan@bradford.gov.uk).

Secondly, the fringe has become a site of public interest and debate. Under the strap line ‘stop them taking bites from your countryside’, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) launched a briefing and map in August 2012 to draw attention to the major threats to England’s green belts. The threats include proposals for over 80,000 new homes over the next twenty years. According to Paul Miner at CPRE: “the green belt helps regenerate our cities and stops them sprawling into rural areas.

As a result, no one is ever too far from true, green English countryside… It is vital that the Government steps in to ensure…investment and development within existing urban areas, rather than allowing the unnecessary loss of green belt land”. Yet ‘Cities for Growth‘, a report from Policy Exchange (2011) suggests green belts stifle our cities by protecting peripheral and low-quality land, whilst forcing development into really rural areas and cramming more and more into already packed cities.

In an academic context, Birmingham City University has been leading a research project on behalf of the Rural Economy and Land Use Programme (RELU) labelled ‘managing environmental change at the rural-urban fringe‘. This is looking at how spatial planning and ecosystem services can be used to identify management issues and needs.

Thirdly, and against this backdrop, there are already a plethora of tried and tested approaches to managing the rural-urban fringe. The Community Forest programme, established in 1990 by the then Countryside Commission, delivers a comprehensive package of regeneration to create high quality environments for people. Each of the 12 Community Forests is a partnership between local authorities and local, regional and national players. Community Forests have been financially independent since 2007 and rely upon a variety of sources of income to continue.

In June 2011, the Government launched ‘the natural choice’, the first Natural Environment White Paper (NEWP) in 20 years, outlining the Government’s vision for the next 50 years. The NEWP shifts thinking away from viewing nature as a series of disconnected places (or isolated spots of green on a map) to one of a thriving green network linking farmland, forestry, urban parks and gardens. Rose Regeneration supported Pennine Prospects with its application for the South Pennines to become a LNP (approved by Defra in July 2012).

Lying between the Peak District National Park, the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Nidderdale AONB, at the heart of three city regions (Greater Manchester, Leeds and Pennine Lancashire) and in an undesignated landscape; the South Pennines LNP will raise awareness of the services and benefits that the natural environment provides to the 450,000 people who live and work in the local area and the 7 million people that live within an hour’s drive. In this way, the LNP is utilising existing good practice such as Incredible Edible Todmorden (IET), a community group which grows and campaigns for local food. IET works on green field sites to create more growing and learning spaces and on donated land to develop ideas about hill-top farming.

Environment Minister Richard Benyon has described how “green spaces are not only important for our health and well-being; they also create places where people want to invest, generating new jobs and businesses”. With the Government committed to (economic) growth, localism, the big society, natural environment and planning reform; what are the untapped potential, possible pitfalls and emerging opportunities for the rural-urban fringe? How can we heed Sir Ewan Cameron’s warning and ensure that the fringe is not a “wasted asset”?

How can the fringe be viewed as an exciting landscape space fit for the 21st century? To explore the issues raised here further, the Rural Services Network is holding an event on 11 October 2012 at St Mary’s Church in Sheffield. The event, “perceptions of the urban fringe – an integrated vision?” will include presentations from the Airedale Partnership (regarding the SURF project), Pennine Prospects (outlining their regeneration work between cities), the NFU (on new opportunities for agriculture) and the Villages and Communities Together Project (Peak District National Park). For more information and to book your place at this free event please contact Wendy Cooper by email wendy.cooper@sparse.gov.uk or telephone 01822 813693.

Jessica has undertaken a variety of projects on land management and rural economies. These include: preparing the Yorkshire Dales Local Food Map (celebrating the distinctiveness of the Dales landscape); considering how the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) can be reformed to benefit rural communities; and supporting community groups in understanding natural resource management. For more information about Rose Regeneration’s work please contact Jessica by email jessica.sellick@roseregeneration.co.uk or telephone 01522 521211.