2.3 Regional Goals
2.3.1 Environmental, Social and Economic Goals
- To secure the regional aspirations the Regional Partnership has set goals for integrated rural development. For ease of presentation, the Goals are set out under 'Environmental', 'Social' and 'Economic' headings but it is recognised that there is a close interrelationship between them.
Social
- Rural Communities are enabled to identify mechanisms to address their local needs and empowered to implement solutions.
- Access to essential services is enhanced through flexible and innovative delivery which meets the needs of the South West's rural communities.
- Employment prospects are enhanced through the provision of access to innovative and appropriate education and training to create a flexible and skilled workforce.
- The building of social cohesiveness within rural communities and strengthened linkages between the urban and rural communities in the region.
Economic
- Improvement in the economic contribution of South West produce through the encouragement of activity which adds value and delivers a greater proportion of the product end price to primary producers.
- Opportunities are developed for new rural enterprises, including tourism, both on and off farm.
- Business competitiveness and employment prospects improved through skills development and by placing of innovation, creativity and technology at the heart of the rural economy.
- The marketing and distribution of rural products is supported and developed through collaborative activity and enhanced accessibility to markets.
Environmental
- Protection and enhancement of the character and diversity of the Region's environment and cultural heritage.
- The value of enhancing the environmental quality of the region is appreciated by all.
- Sustainable rural land use and that means to achieve this are promoted.
- Support provided reflects and links the achievement of international, national and regional priorities, with care for the environment at the local, farm and woodland level.
- Although each Goal has been given a number in the layout below (En1, S2, Ec4 etc.), this does not infer that any one goal has priority over another nor are they listed in priority order. In setting goals for rural development in the region, particular attention has also been given to ensuring equity of opportunity in its widest sense and complementarity with the Regional Strategy drawn up by the South West of England Regional Development Agency.
Social Goals
S1 Rural communities are enabled to identify mechanisms to address their local needs and empowered to implement solutions.
- This Goal emphasises the role of local communities in securing rural development and seeks to stimulate community action and involvement in both identifying what needs to be done and getting action in the ground.
S2 Access to essential services is enhanced through flexible and innovative delivery which meets the needs of the South West's rural communities
- Obtaining access to services is often a problem for rural communities in the remoter parts of the region and this can have 'knock-on' consequences for employment prospects, health and social exclusion. S2 seeks to address these issues through encouraging better use of existing facilities and new approaches to service provision.
S3 Employment prospects are enhanced through the provision of access to innovative and appropriate education and training to create a flexible and skilled workforce.
- This Goal stresses the importance of developing skills/training provision and encouraging appropriate new enterprises as aids in tackling problems of high and/or seasonal unemployment experienced in some parts of the region.
S4 The building of social cohesiveness within rural communities and strengthened linkages between the urban and rural communities in the region.
- S4 recognises the interdependence of rural and urban communities, and the need to address issues of polarisation and fractures within rural communities, through encouraging initiatives which improve understanding and bring benefits for the rural economy.
Economic Goals
Ec1 Improvement in the economic contribution of South West produce through the encouragement of activity which adds value and delivers a greater proportion of the product end price to primary producers.
- This Goal aims to realise the considerable potential for developing local/regional product marketing, processing and distribution which builds on the strong regional character and environmental quality and encourages more sustainable production methods.
Ec2 Opportunities are developed for new rural enterprises, including tourism, both on and off farm.
- Ec2 seeks to encourage appropriate opportunities for diversifying the rural economy which are of high quality, create a range of rural job opportunities and deliver social and environmental outputs.
Ec3 Business competitiveness and employment prospects improved through skills development and by placing of innovation, creativity and technology at the heart of the rural economy.
- Closely linked to S3, this Goal also reflects the need for training and skills development to create a flexible rural workforce able to respond to market opportunities.
Ec4 The marketing and distribution of rural products is supported and developed through collaborative activity and enhanced accessibility to markets.
- Also linked to Goal Ec1, this emphasises the need to improve accessibility to markets, communications and marketing of rural products to improve competitiveness of rural businesses and to contribute to sustainable development in the region.
Environmental Goals
En1 Protection and enhancement of the character and diversity of the Region's environment and cultural heritage.
- This Goal recognises the need for positive action to ensure that the special quality, character and diversity of the region are conserved. This involves both action to halt loss and degradation of environmental assets and taking steps to bring about improvements.
En2 The value of enhancing the environmental quality of the region is appreciated by all.
- En2 seeks to attain a wider acknowledgement and understanding of the importance of the environment in the region (and hence its conservation). In particular, it tries to make the links between quality of life for visitors and residents, economic prosperity and environmental quality. This includes recognition of its role in attracting and developing business potential and in underpinning the social well-being of the region.
En3 Sustainable rural land use.
- En3 aims to promote both the concept of more sustainable forms of rural land use and management and to encourage adoption of land management practices and alternative land uses which are more sustainable.
En4 Support provided reflects and links the achievement of international, national and regional priorities, with care for the environment at the local, farm and woodland level
- This Goal draws attention to the need to conserve the critical environmental assets of the region, particularly those of international, national and regional importance. It recognises the importance of looking after the environment at the local level and its overall contribution to improving environmental quality and the achievement of environmental objectives and targets.
2.3.2 Integration of environmental, social and economic factors to achieve sustainable development
- Strategic Goals for the region have been derived from the elements of the Regional Aspirational Statement. These goals are founded upon the principles of sustainable development which aim to ensure that the needs of the present generation are met in a way which does not compromise those of future generations.
- This involves taking an holistic approach to integrated rural development which considers the social, environmental and economic implications of actions. This approach ensures that the interlinking between goals is recognised. This is in order to achieve high and stable levels of economic growth and employment and social progress which recognises the needs of the whole population, whilst securing the effective protection of the environment and the prudent use of natural resources.
Page last modified:
17 August, 2005
Page published: 1 October, 2000