Rural communities ‘left behind’
According to this article: Caroline Spelman said as part of the launch of the new Food and Farming networks: “For too long, little was done to address rural poverty or rural unemployment. We’re determined to fix that, and stand up for those communities that have found it difficult to have their voices heard until now.”
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will today announce the creation of 14 new “Rural and Farming Networks” to collect the views of people and businesses in the countryside
“These networks will give rural business and community leaders a direct link to me and my team to tell us their problems so we can find ways to help,” Mrs Spelman writes. “This will give rural communities a clear say on how policy is developed so our most remote towns and villages can grow stronger and thrive.”
Money isn’t the solution to everything so I don’t buy into a simple criticism that these are hollow promises because the fora have no funding. Of more concern and no friends from theNorth Westhave so far offered an explanation, is the fact that communities fromCheshirethrough toCumbriaseem to have no Forum to cover their area.
Just what these groupings will achieve is still to be seen – they do however herald the next piece in the new jigsaw of rural policy development. I have a funny feeling that they might be very empowering and useful if people get behind them. I have some thoughts on how this might be done if you would like to drop me an email