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Social and Economic Sustainability in RuralSocial and Economic Sustainability in Rural
Areas A New ApproachAreas A New Approach
Zita Murphy
Rural Policy DivisionDepartment of Agriculture and Rural Development in NorthernIreland
Farming for Health, Pisa, 25-27 MayFarming for Health, Pisa, 25-27 May
20092009
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Rural Northern Ireland Setting the sceneNI Population 1.7 million
1/3rd live in Greater Belfast area
Definition of rural : settlements of population of 4,500 or less.
Rural population: 35% / 588,651 people (2001 Census)
80% of land in agricultural and forestry use
27,000 farms (2005)Predominantly grass based (beef, dairy and sheep)
Farmers tend to be old (51% farmers aged 55 and over in 2005)
Agriculture still accounts for significant amount of businesses in rural,
followed by construction.
Rural areas experiencing increasing populations and people choosing
to live in the countryside and commute to towns/cities.
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NI Governance
Devolution May 2007
108 elected members Members of the LegislativeAssembly (MLAs)
11 Executive Committee Ministers led by joint First
Minister and Deputy First Minister (Rt Hon Peter
Robinson, MP, MLA and Martin McGuinness, MP, MLA) Ministers nominated by the DHondt procedure
Four parties in Executive, two nationalist and two
unionist.
Governance is very local! 1 MLA = 16,000 people
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Government Departments
First and Deputy First Minister
Agriculture and Rural Development
Education
Environment
Regional Development
Employment and Learning Finance and Personnel
Social Development
Culture, Arts and Leisure
Enterprise, Trade and Investment
Health, Social Services and Public Safety.
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Historical approaches to ensuring social and economic
sustainability in rural communities
Key driver was European programmes:1990 -1993 1st Rural Development Programme 6.5 million
1994 1999 2nd Rural Development Programme 55 million
2000 2006 3rd Rural Development Programme 80 million
Supported a range of rural community based regeneration projects and
area-based strategies to stimulate economic and social revitalisation
of the most disadvantaged rural areas of Northern Ireland throughpartnership between public, private and voluntary sectors
DARD delivered Rural Development Programmes
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2005 - Time for reflection: What had we
achieved/lessons learnt so far?
Greater stakeholder empowerment/capacity in rural areas
Harnessing experience at local level
Too many delivery groups at a local level
Risk of funding led delivery sustainability issues
Volunteer fatigue
Good instrument for job creation/economic development in ruralareas.
Does the rest of government policy complement the workundertaken in rural?
Are we listening to rural needs and taking action that is sustainable?
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DARD commission PricewaterhouseCoopers - A Study
on Rural Policy 2005
Terms of reference:
- Study of policy in relation to DARD rural development
- Development of proposals for policy change
- Opportunity for overarching rural development strategy
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Some key findings:
- Broad consensus that NI has not had a rural policyper se rather
there is a policy of delivery within the bounds of the Rural
Development Programme- Prevailing view that there has been no evidence based research
- Absence of agreed definition of rural
- Activity is too EU led
- Lack of strategic integration across government with respect to rural
development policy issues
- Inability to effectively engage farming community in rural
development issues
- Need for a broader approach to rural development a priority
- Need linkage and synergies between rural and regional policies- Disappointment with application of rural proofing of government
policy making progress
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Recommendations on way forward from PWC report
Range of suggestions and options including:
- Single integrated rural policy including land, rural regeneration and
access to services
- Multi sectoral, joined up approach
- Separation of policy and delivery on rural development- Better use of partnerships and influencing
- Evidence based policy making
- Consideration of changes at council level in 2011 (in 2011 a range
of central government powers will be delegated to 11 new councils
i.e. planning, community development)
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The report reinforced what we had been told by stakeholders:
Rural people have continually made the point that the needs of rural
communities are not understood, known or addressed by government.
G/vernment has not acted in a proactive way to address ruralconcerns.
Research by DARD and other stakeholder identified a need for A joined up approach by all government departments to rural
issues.
Better links and communication between governmentdepartments and between government and rural people.
Better evidence to make decisions.
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So what did we do?
DARD Rural Strategy 2007 -2013 objective: to define the Rural
Champion function. This includes;
- A joined up approach to rural policy across government.
- Robust application of rural proofing and championing of rural issues.
- Equitable access to public services and programmes by rural
communities.
- The development of a robust evidence base that identifies the
particular social, economic and environmental needs of rural areas
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Programme for Government the NI AssemblyBusiness Plan
PSA 17 Rural Infrastructure Objective 2 Adopt the role ofRural Champion. This objective has two actions namely;
Define the role of Rural Champion and enhance the Rural
Proofing process by end 2008.
Develop proposals for a Rural White Paper by end 2008.
These actions were formally endorsed by the Executive in April 2008
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Rural Champion
In the broadest terms we proposed:
Mechanisms to improve communication between departments(interdepartmental committees)
Mechanisms to ensure communication between government and
rural people (regular formalised meetings, support for rural
actors to work together with one voice)
Gathering and sharing of more relevant evidence (Dr S Shortall)
Improved rural proofing process
(support for) New rural initiatives and ideas
There are 6 roles which provide functions that we think arenecessary: Advocate, Watchdog, Listener, Advisor (using robust
evidence base), Initiator, Exemplar.
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Example of Rural Champion:
Rural Anti Poverty and Social Inclusion Framework 10
million 2008- 2011:Rural Fuel Poverty grant improvement scheme with Social
Development
Rural Transport reduced fare scheme on Rural Community Transport
Buses with Regional Development
Rural Community Development support for community development
network in rural areas complementing Social Development work
Rural Childcare grant aid for innovative approaches to childcare in
rural
Rural Challenge access to benefits schemes with Social
Development, Health, housing organisations and community groups.
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Rural White Paper
Defn: White Papers are issued by government and lay outpolicy, or proposed action, on a topic of current concern.
This is an Executive Rural White Paper with five themes:
Vision- set objective of RWP, define the contribution of rural, future
scenariosPlaces protection of environment, approaches to renewable energy,
regeneration needs of rural settlements
People needs of most vulnerable, sustainability of rural communities
Governance opportunities from RPA, community planning, rural
proofingServices access to services and barriers to provision of, affordablehousing
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Stakeholder led development of Rural White Paper
Established a Rural White Paper stakeholder group to
develop proposals for a Rural White Paper. Membership from local government, rural development
sector, farming sector, environmental sector, sportingorganisations, single issue groups such as DisabilityAction, Council for Ethnic Minorities.
Stakeholders will work together in sub groups to developproposals for each theme.
Key is that rural communities can articulate their viewsand ensure their needs are fully considered.
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Progress to date:
Rural Champion final proposals with DARD Minister
implementation 2009/2010
Rural White Paper
interdepartmental committee on rural policy established
(chaired by DARD Minister and attended by senior policyofficials from all Departments)
- Rural Stakeholder group established to drive Rural White
Paper
-Rural White Paper due 2010.
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Many thanks for listening!Many thanks for listening!
For further information please contact:
Or visit:
www.dardni.gov.uk
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.dardni.gov.uk/http://www.dardni.gov.uk/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]