Greater local autonomy and responsibility for providing local services

Regular exercises in identifying needs of local people and responding to any changes in priorities (every two years)

Create a greater sense of civic pride through improved recognition of local history accounts by older people and regular recordings of current events for the whole community

Walter F Jones

Whitby Town Council

Improvement in delivery of services to rural areas using new technology e.g. video conferencing Getting rural people to understand the positives of technology:

• Online shopping
• ebay
• online doctors services
• passports online

Making sure Post Offices are still around by integrating technology - online services within Post Offices

Villages with their own sustainable energy. Wind turbines or other natural ways of getting energy.

Diversity of jobs for rural young people. Bring in more business into rural areas.

Estates of starter homes for young couples who if they want to go up the ladder a year later or move into bigger homes can only sell to first time buyers. Maybe a rent / buy scheme. This will be one of the only ways to keep a village or market town alive for the future. More support for young families and leisure facilities. Shuttle services for the young and /or elderly to get to facilities such as hospitals  / dentists

Kath Hobart

Tuxford Mine of Information

I want to see small rural towns acting as real rural service centres (Centre Capitals) for their surrounding hinterland of villages and countryside. Places where people of all ages can live and be part of the community – and valued by their community whatever their circumstances. Places where my grandchildren will want to live and work.

Schools which provide good education for children, where they are part of the life of the community – places where they can live and want in turn to bring up their own children.

Older people who have access to good quality health care that enables them to stay in their community with services that keep them involved and not isolated through frailty or lack of mobility.

Places where people can work, even for a few days a week and good places for entrepreneurship and business development.

Valerie Carter

A place where communities can live and work together in safe, pleasant surroundings. A place for young and old to socialise and support each other. Village events and village activities to involve the community. Active Parish Councils, active faith groups and do not exclude the youth. Affordable housing and local shops.

Every village to have a community foundation where monies raised can be invested and given back in grants to local projects / individuals. Flowers, gardens, walks, cycle routes – all is possible with vision and commitment

Bob Dyke

Charity Bank

[Personal view of village life]

• My vision for 2020 would have seen the result of the positive economic benefits of the early C21st initiatives such as ‘Carbon Neutral’, organic produce and activity tourism
• Furthermore, the movement of the ageing population to rural communities would be seen as a positive social and economic generator
• Planning restrictions would have been amended to facilitate jobs and affordable housing
• Government would have at least demonstrated ‘joined-up’ thinking through its transport, health and community services with regards to rural and urban communities!

F Buckingham-Evans

A place where the views of all are encouraged and appreciated, not just the minority who have lived in the towns and villages over the generations, or the wealthy that have moved in.

A place that can expect the same standards of health care, transport services & education as more populated areas.

Places which attract people that are not just from one socio-economic category & with it people with vast range of experience

A place where the countryside is used & enjoyed by all, not just the landowners.

Places that attract people from urban/suburban areas with their shops & services and that play to their unique strengths.

Places that attract the young and old and encourage socialising between the generations.

Accessible transport network, with public services that meet demand, strong community spirit

Vibrant cultural attractions, creativity

No rural poverty, isolation of elderly

Modern facilities, good shops

Protected landscape, wildlife

Activities for young people

Key service provision, IT broadband options

Higher wages, improved GVA

Affordable homes for local people

Attractive towns, maintain heritage

Good health services

E Sudlow

1) Young and old working and planning together for the future; maybe in schools

2) Urban communities working with rural, breaking down divides.

3) Rural needs being met by all service providers

4) Renewable energy taken forward with lay man’s terms given to all to make the right decisions

5) Bartering system in place

6) Education in IT for everyone

7) J P Symes

A litter free / rubbish free environment with everybody and every business being responsible for their waste.

Each community should be looking after their older people as well as the young

‘Joined up’ rural transport i.e. train timetables linking with  buses, bus times to link with cinema and theatre times etc.

Reduce, reuse and recycle

With an aging population, rural villages fins an increased number of elderly becoming isolated.

We need to increase the availability of services such as better transport facilities enabling the able bodied to access services in the Market Towns and using outreach teams to deliver quality services to those less able.

Transport at times suited to local employers to enable those in the hinterland access to employment opportunities. Long term parking in the towns must be provided to encourage small businesses

More work and living units to be made available via changes in local planning.

Planning to be extended to include parishes / towns in the decision making.

A Richardson