Day 1 - Presentation Zita Murphy

8/14/2019 Day 1 - Presentation Zita Murphy

1/23

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


2/23


3/23

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.


4/23

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


5/23


6/23

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.


7/23


8/23

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


9/23

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?


10/23

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


11/23

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


12/23

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)


13/23

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.


14/23

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


15/23

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


16/23


17/23

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.


18/23

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.


19/23

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


20/23

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.


21/23

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.


22/23


23/23

Many thanks for listening!Many thanks for listening!

For further information please contact:

[email protected]

[email protected]

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]

Day 1 - Presentation Zita Murphy

Documents

Transcript of Day 1 - Presentation Zita Murphy