2.5 Regional Activities
- 2.5.1 Derivation of Key Regional Activities
- 2.5.2 Activities to Meet Objectives
- 2.5.3. Relationship to National Priorities
2.5.1 Derivation of Key Regional Activities
The Yorkshire and The Humber Regional Planning Group met on 21 October and 17 November 1999, to identify the range of activities that they considered appropriate to take forward under the RDR Plan to contribute towards the achievement of the regional goals and objectives (Figure 2.1).
Figure 2.1. Regional activities (Source: Yorkshire and the Humber RPG 1999)
- Provide capital and revenue grant payments to maintain, enhance and conserve the environment.
- Provide support and investment in resources related to the quality management of water, soil and energy.
- Provide integrated support for forestry and woodlands for timber, energy and amenity.
- Provide financial and technical aid for the development of rural and farm diversification enterprises producing products and services.
- Increase added value for products and services from rural areas.
- Support integrated investment in rural tourism and recreational facilities and assets and the promotion of rural tourism and recreation in line with the regional strategies.
- Aid for the restructuring of agricultural businesses through offering advice for farmers to retire and support for associated land re-parcelling.
- Sustain agricultural and rural communities while protecting the environment in remote and disadvantaged areas.
- Enhance the business, environmental and social skills and competencies of individuals within rural communities.
- Support the development of, and access to, rural services and employment.
- Capacity building for rural groups, communities and organisations.
- Support the provision of business and environmental advice and information.
2.5.2 Activities to Meet Objectives
The following sets out, in detail, the regional activities identified by the RPG. The principal objectives that the activities support, as identified by the analysis, are listed. RPG believe that many of the specific activities and measures will need to be combined or integrated in innovative ways to achieve sustainable rural development. Whilst twelve separate activities are identified, the RPG intend that many of these will be integrated in practice to achieve sustainable rural development.
1. Provide capital and revenue grant payments to maintain, enhance and conserve the environment
This activity will seek to improve the region's natural, cultural and built environment, through revenue and capital grant aid. This activity will integrate environmental, historic, amenity and wildlife objectives. It will support the restoration and repair of locally characteristic landscapes, natural and built environmental features, and habitat creation, and will also contribute to change in land management practices. This will have a positive environmental, social and economic impact to the region's rural economy.
Principal objectives to be achieved through this activity:-
- Environmental: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6, 3.4
- Social: 3.3, 3.4, 4.4
2. Provide support and investment in resources related to the quality management of water, soil and energy
The issues of effective and sustainable water, soil and energy management are of key importance to this region. This activity will support the adoption of new technology, pollution prevention and control, waste minimisation, resource protection and renewable energy schemes. Through this activity advice will be provided to targeted rural businesses, on issues such as irrigation, soil erosion and energy efficiency. This will be of great relevance to farming practices and rural life within parts of the region.
Principal objectives to be achieved through this activity:-
- Environmental: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 2.1, 2.5, 3.1, 3.3
- Social: 1.3, 3.2, 3.3, 4.4
- Economic: 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 4.3
3. Provide integrated support for forestry and woodlands for timber, energy and amenity
This activity will support the establishment, management and harvesting of forestry and woodlands for timber, energy and amenity. It will also provide support for processing and marketing of woodland products. The management of targeted woodland will be fully supported to enhance its unique accessibility, such as the community forests, or biodiversity value, such as ancient and native woodland.
Principal objectives to be achieved through this activity:-
- Environmental: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 2.6, 3.3
- Social: 4.4
- Economic: 1.3, 2.3
4. Provide financial and technical aid for the development of rural and farm diversification enterprises producing products and services
Farm and rural diversification is an important facet for rural businesses, supporting these businesses in terms of generating extra income and providing opportunities for additional jobs in the rural areas. This will include activities such as innovative and novel products, renewable energy products and sustainable energy generation. Through financial support this activity will provide the base for the establishment of new diversified enterprises.
Principal objectives to be achieved through this activity:-
- Environmental: 1.1, 1.2, 3.1, 3.3
- Social: 2.1, 2.2
- Economic: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4
5. Increase added value for products and services from rural areas
The production and promotion of locally sourced products is of key importance in terms of the region's economy. This activity will support marketing initiatives, supply chain development, collaborative initiatives, (particularly the growth, development and rationalisation of the existing regional and sub-regional initiatives), the development and implementation of quality management systems, branding and promotion of regional products, distribution systems, new and novel processes and technologies, and investment in processing, plant and equipment.
Principal objectives to be achieved through this activity:-
- Environmental: 2.4
- Economic: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4
6. Support integrated investment in rural tourism and recreational facilities and assets and the promotion of rural tourism and recreation in line with the regional strategies
388. The sustainability of the rural tourism and recreational sectors is a key feature in promoting rural development within this region. This activity will support these sectors through the provision of assistance for development and upgrading of facilities, promotion, and training in quality management systems as well as the development of marketing activity. The promotion of the region's rural distinctiveness will be of key importance.
Principal objectives to be achieved through this activity:-
- Environmental: 1.2
- Social: 3.3, 4.1
- Economic: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4
7. Aid for the restructuring of agricultural businesses through offering advice for farmers to retire and support for associated land re-parcelling
Agricultural businesses within this region are having to restructure as a consequence of economic change. This activity will support these businesses to help them gear up for future change. This will be through the provision of advice to enable those associated with the agricultural industry to find employment off farm and for farmers wishing to retire. It will, in turn, supporting those wishing to develop community farmland or forestry initiatives as well as support young farmers.
Principal objectives to be achieved through this activity:-
- Economic: 1.1
8. Sustain agricultural and rural communities while protecting the environment in remote and disadvantaged areas
This measure will provide financial aid, through appropriate support payment mechanisms, to counteract the detrimental environmental effects of agricultural and social decline. This activity will be targeted in remote and disadvantaged areas where the opportunities for economic diversification to sustain communities are limited.
Principal objectives to be achieved through this activity:-
- Environmental: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 3.1
- Economic: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3
9. Enhance the business, environmental and social skills and competencies of individuals within rural communities
This activity will provide support to enable individuals within rural communities to enhance their skills base. It will seek to raise aspirations and build confidence through the identification and acquisitions of skills, both traditional and new. There will be provisions through this activity for financial support for advice, training, demonstration projects, education, and re-skilling, which enable people to find additional/alternative employment/self employment. It will also be able to provide a valuable linkage between rural and urban areas by addressing issues through, for example, educational visits. In addition, it may also support the enhancement of traditional land management and leadership skills as well as the more generic ones, such as promotion and marketing activity.
Principal objectives to be achieved through this activity:-
- Environmental: 2.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.4
- Social: 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 4.2
- Economic: 1.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4
10. Support the development of, and access to, rural services and employment
In order to support rural communities, the provision of rural service infrastructure will be of key importance. This activity will support the provision of animateurs to enable targeted communities to develop projects. It will support both capital and revenue infrastructure development projects which will maintain and enhance local services. This activity will support the provision of community resources and facilities; advice and information (e.g. debt advice, benefits advice, transport services); investment in infrastructure and community initiatives (e.g. community shops and credit unions). The use of Information Communications Technology (ICT) to facilitate new modes of service delivery, and community transport provision, will be assisted.
Principal objectives to be achieved through this activity:-
- Social: 1.1, 1.2, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4
- Economic: 4.1, 4.2
11. Capacity building for rural groups, communities and organisations
This activity will provide financial support for groups, communities and organisations to develop the skills and structures to enable them to participate in community, economic and environmental development activities. Local people will be empowered to enhance their communities through devolved decision making activities, such as 'village appraisals'. The activity will help to tackle social exclusion.
Principal objectives to be achieved through this activity:-
- Social: 2.1, 2.2, 4.2
- Economic: 2.4, 4.1
- Environment: 3.2
12. Support the provision of business and environmental advice and information
This activity will support and stimulate the growth and development of sustainable rural businesses across the region. It will integrate business and environmental advice enabling businesses to react positively to change in a manner appropriate to them. The activity will address rural business needs. This will involve the development and provision of integrated farm business plans, targeted business and environmental advice including energy efficiency and environmental audits, training needs assessments, marketing plans and strategies and sustainable business feasibility studies. The advice will be available to agricultural and land management related enterprises including food processing and tourism.
Principal objectives to be achieved through this activity:-
- Environmental: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4
- Social: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4
- Economic: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.1, 4.3
A mapping exercise in which activities were scored against objectives was carried out by members of the RPG (details of the process employed is contained within the National Chapter). This assessed the extent to which each activity contributed towards the achievement of each regional objective. The aim of this exercise was to allow the RPG to agree consensus concerning the extent to which the agreed regional activities would contribute to the pursuit of the different objectives.
The exercise uses a matrix, in the form of an impact assessment. This allowed the RPG to prioritise the regional activities that could add value to the process and create linkages between environmental, social and economic objectives (the results of this process are outlined in Table 2.5).
| Activity | Total Score Environment | Total Score Economic | Total Score Social | Overall Total | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provision of business and environmental advice | 135 | 129 | 111 | 375 | 1 |
| Management of water, soil and energy | 96 | 54 | 52 | 202 | 2 |
| Farm and rural diversification | 61 | 81 | 40 | 182 | 3 |
| Enhance skills | 58 | 71 | 50 | 179 | 4 |
| Forestry and woodlands | 82 | 42 | 30 | 154 | 5 |
| Enhancement of environmental features | 95 | 13 | 43 | 151 | 6 |
| Rural tourism and recreation | 38 | 71 | 35 | 144 | 7 |
| Develop added value through marketing/supply chains | 28 | 82 | 19 | 129 | 8 |
| Provide services | 5 | 37 | 80 | 122 | 9 |
| Sustain rural communities | 64 | 25 | 32 | 121 | 10 |
| Capacity building | 17 | 41 | 59 | 117 | 11 |
| Restructuring agricultural businesses | 31 | 34 | 0 | 65 | 12 |
| Total | 710 | 680 | 551 | ||
| Average | 59.2 | 56.7 | 45.9 |
The activities that have been identified by the RPG when scored against the objectives ranged from a score of 65 to a score of 375.
Those activities that score highly across the whole range of objectives can be used to contribute to integrated rural development across the range of social, economic and environmental goals and objectives. The matrix has identified that the activities: 'Support the provision of business and environmental advice and information,' 'Provide financial and technical aid for the development of rural and farm diversification enterprises producing products and services,' 'Enhance the business, environmental and social skills and competencies of individuals within rural communities' and 'Provide support and investment in resources related to the quality management of water, soil and energy' are those that have the most wide ranging relevance and applicability to the plan.
The activities as described from 'Provide capital and revenue grant payments to maintain, enhance and conserve the environment,' 'provide integrated support for forestry and woodlands for timber, energy and amenity' and 'Support integrated investment in rural tourism and recreational facilities and assets and the promotion of rural tourism and recreation in line with the regional strategies' are to a slightly lower extent integral to the overall plan as well as being crucially important to particular objectives.
Within the matrix there are a number of activities that overall do not score very highly, but nevertheless are critically important in the pursuit of a focused group of objectives. These activities tend to be narrower in scope but are regarded as highly significant in furthering specific themes. Within this plan these include the activity 'Increase added value for products and services from rural areas'. This activity scores particularly well within the economic sector and specifically under the goals Ec1 and Ec2. Adding value and marketing will be key areas of activity within the region. Assistance will have an effect on environmental and some social issues, since the regional identity has been highlighted as a key issue in the SWOT across all thematic sectors, and any support provided will affect the region's rural development.
There are, however, some activities which, although they meet with the regional aspiration and the strategic goals, will not be able to be supported in full through the RDR. These include, for example, 'provision of rural service infrastructure to support local services to assist future development'. This can be met through 'Training Measures'. Support will be needed from additional sources to develop these activities in full. The issue of eligibility for funding under the available measures is addressed in detail in Section 2.6.4.
2.5.3. Relationship to National Priorities
The key regional activities described above, all contribute to national Rural Development Regulation priorities for agriculture and forestry, rural environment and rural communities. The integrated approach of a number of the key regional activities means that they contribute to national priorities in more than one area.
| National Priorities | Key Regional Activities |
|---|---|
| Priorities for agriculture, forestry and the rural economy | |
Creation of a productive and sustainable rural economy through:  a competitive, diverse and flexible agriculturean agriculture responsive to consumer wishesan environmentally responsible agricultureagriculture as an integral part of the rural economy sustainable management of existing woods and forestssensitive expansion of tree cover to increase the benefits |
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9,10,12 4,5,7,12 4 1,2,3,12 4,5,6,12 3 3 |
| Locally identified need for improving, skills base, infrastructure, provision of advice, use of heritage assets, tourism and recreationPriorities for nature conservation/biodiversity/historic features Priorities for amenity/recreation Priorities for protection of water, soil and air Priorities for basic services for rural communities |
6,9,10,12 1,3,8 6,8 2 8,9,11 |
| enhancing the quality of life by providing better facilities and services |
8,9 |
| improving access to opportunities to reduce social exclusion |
8,9 |
| establishment of organisations to support rural life |
8,11 |
| raising the capacity of local communities |
8,11 |
Page last modified:
17 August, 2005
Page published: 1 October, 2000