Hampshire Farming Conference and Rural Forum26 June 2012

John Tickle

(Head of the secretariat for the Wessex RFN)

The Wessex Rural and Farming Network (RFN)

Why RFNs?

Defra Minister Jim Paice said …..

“For too long, our rural communities have been overlooked and had too little say in decisions which affect them. We are putting that right through the Rural and Farming Networks. They will have direct access to Ministers and, just as importantly, Ministers will use them to ensure we understand the impact of our policies.

“Defra will be the ‘listening’ department that will understand and promote the interests of rural communities and businesses, based on direct contact with the people whose livelihoods we are championing.”

Oxford Farming Conference - 4 January 2012

The ‘ask’………

• New approach – Big Society principles – self formulating and self supporting – independent of government

• Bringing together representatives of rural communities, businesses and the land based industries

• Scale: big enough to provide a strategic overview – 10 to 20 groups across England

• To provide a link and two way communications between rural areas and the Government

The ‘offer’…………….

• Access to Ministers: Ambition to ensure that whenever Defra Ministers are visiting an area – they will seek to hold a meeting with the local RFN Chair/representatives - plus annual Ministerial meeting with the Chairs. These took place in April and June.

• RFN secretariat: provide communication channels between Defra and the groups with a promised ‘hot line’ to Ministers

• Policy and consultation: Defra Officials to engage with RFNs on Defra policy development

• 17 Rural and Farming Network Groups

• Inaugural meeting of RFN Chairs - 17th April

Wessex Rural and Farming Network Area – Land Classification

The Role of the Wessex Rural and Farming Network

The WRFN aims to be an effective and engaging network that acts as a rapid two-way conduit for information, a provider of robust evidence and an active policy making partner for Government. In particular it will :

• Seek, collate and analyse views to create robust evidence• Collaborate with other RFNs to broaden and deepen the

evidence base• Work with government to develop policies that build on the

evidence• Help to translate and deliver policies on the ground • Initiate collaborative projects • Seek appropriate resources to make things happen• Procure research to plug identified gaps

Wessex Rural and Farming Network Steering Group

Independent Chair - Lord SelborneFood/Farming

Interim Lead: Simon Browne

Farmers, Foresters, Land Managers, Processors and Retailers of food and other products and benefits derived from the land

Rural Communities

Interim Lead: Trevor Cherrett

Voluntary Groups, Community Groups and Rural Service Providers

Skills

Interim Lead: Mike Ridout

Further Education Establishments, Training Providers, Sector Groups

Leader Action Groups

Interim Lead: David Webb

From Various LAGs across the Wessex area

Local Authorities

Interim Lead: Cllr Ray Ellis

From Various LAs across the Wessex area

Business and Enterprise

Interim Lead: David Ramsden

( to be replaced)

LEPs, Small Business Federations, Rural Economic Partnerships

Secretariat

John Tickle HCC

Facilitation, administration, strategy and guidance

Wessex RFN Members / Partners

The Wessex RFN has over 40 signed up organisations and a very wide network of interested parties. Formalised partners include:

• Chambers of Commerce/IOD/Small Business Federation• Leader Action Groups (LAGs)• Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs)• County/Unitary Councils• Associations of Local Councils• National Park Authorities• Rural Community Councils (RCCs) • Sparsholt College

Some headline prioritiesFarming and Land Use

– CAP reform and the impact of a new RDPE framework

– Local Food – building on the success

Business– Broadband particularly the last 10%– Support for the development of the rural economy– Reduction in regulatory burden and dis-incentives for

expansion of small businesses– Finance and support for new businesses

Skills and Research– Business acumen and technical skills/development

Key Priorities Continued

Rural Communities– Tackling pressures on access to services – Making the most of localism

Rural Development– Removing barriers to funding and sustainable

development

Local Authorities– Using regulatory powers to enable not prevent– Supporting and pump priming local initiatives

So far ……Since the group was confirmed in late March:

• 2 meetings with Ministers the last one at the South of England Show with Richard Benyon and in association with the FRIG (more opportunities promised)

• Invitations to significant policy events/conferences, e.g. forthcoming briefing from the Independent Panel on Forestry

• Sector leads are developing the network and identifying key issues for the future including priority areas for collaboration and action

• An evidence base for key areas is being developed for the geography covered by the network with particular emphasis upon collaboration across the LEPs

• Communication networks are being established together with a regular newsletter the first edition of which will be posted on the network web site this week : Wessexrfn.net

The Promise.. ( Defra presentation to the Wessex RFN inaugural conference)

Government - from the Prime Minister down and as a Ministerial team in Defra - has really strong rural credentials at its heart.

Through your local leadership, and our shared endeavours, we can create the opportunities for prosperous and thriving rural communities.

Minister Richard Benyon – September 2011