Community Led Planning

Access to ICT

+ the Internet

Affordable Homes

Community Enterprise

Environmental Sustainability

Locally Determined Priorities

Community Partnership

Access to Education / Skills

Development

Jeff Tweddle

Northumberland Rural Voices Network

A network of thriving, vibrant Market Towns especially in Bucks, acting as rural Service Centres for their surrounding areas.

Greater co-operation between Community Partnerships and all levels of local government. Much better partnership working

Malcolm Godwin

County Co-ordinator

Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes

Sustainable Communities - socially, economically and environmentally

Engaged Communities

• of local communities
• with each other in community
• and outside

True Partnerships

• all levels of public bodies
• with private sector
• shared priorities

Ability to influence investment decisions of national / regional / local bodies

Rural Proofing / Weighting

A more flexible planning system to allow innpvative developments - housing / employment - to create a C21st countryside

Paul Whitaker

My vision for rural Britain in 2020 – and beyond

Self sustaining local communities where people can afford to live and work, while maintaining the essential features of the countryside for farming, recreational and other activities. These communities should be based on collaboration and partnership, using emerging technologies where appropriate and utilising the expertise of all local people so that we all feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for the environment in which they live.

Alan Healey

ruralnet|uk Trustee

Less traffic and more rural opportunities.

Being able to work from home.

Safe, friendly and enterprising communities

People working in partnership

Sharing of all types of resources e.g. food, people skills, time, transport, energy,

recreation, caring

Vibrant and economically viable shops, pubs and services working in harmony to deliver what people want and need.

The retention of local stories, ‘yarning’, history and information being shared and passed down, old and young for future generations.

Local customs, a sense of belonging and not a sense of loss.

Charlotte Foster

Plunkett Foundation

What will it be like in 2020?

Communities and rural areas will have taken ownership of their futures and how they live. Rural communities will be proactive and positive – not reactive and negative. With more connections to services and products they will unite through marketing campaigns and will have a wider knowledge of how they can use their unique selling points to encourage capacity building, partnership working and ultimately be able to become sustainable areas without losing the traditions and appeal of historical market towns.

They will have embraced the hi-tech world – to use to their advantage – but not too much that they become detached from the ‘real’ person / world. They will have access to affordable housing – without spoiling the view of the countryside and eventually will be empowered by the choices they have made without losing the ’charm’ of the rural community.

Angela Kershaw

Garstang and District Partnership

Rural areas will be:

- Welcoming to visitors from near and far

- Well connected both in a ‘virtual’ sense and physically through public and private (car sharing, car pooling) services, footpaths, bridleways

- Vibrant – with youth activities and services (formal and informal) ditto all ages. This includes appropriate trading based on more use and reuse of local produce, skills and expertise

- Have active local partnerships / groupings of people actively involved in delivering local projects, identifying priorities and influencing regional and sub regional policies.

- More visibly musical and creative

- Market Towns as centres for knowledge exchange, distribution points for goods and services, health and education for all ages

- Have land based industries using more sustainable methods

Jane Brantom

Small local farms, producing local produce / products – non GM crops – product bio-diversity.

Small shops selling local food / products – open early morning (closed 10-4) open in early evening.

Small local community centres to nurture a sense of pride and belonging for residents.

Manditory partnerships for market towns / villages so sense of community caring is established.

Funding / taxation to establish sense of community and encourage volunteerism.

The more people are encouraged to take part in local life the less responsibility for ‘surface’ care of emotional stability of people and communities the government will have to shoulder.

In small communities offer incentives to young entrepreneurs to have core businesses e.g. shop, pub, post office, web service, community café.

Strong forums for sharing best practice like Action for Market Towns

Rosemary Smith

Development will be directed by aspirations of residents / businesses through consultations and local plans.

Creating a better balance between housing and employment to reduce commuting

Protecting the environment / energy production and use reduction

Improving the range and quality of local jobs to match the increasing skills of the population

Recognising the role of Market Towns in servicing the needs of rural villages

A true commitment to working in partnership.

Len Turner

Wiltshire Forum of Community Area Partnership

- Reversal of out commuting

- Maintaining young people in small towns by encouraging business start-ups / enterprises.

- Increased number of academic qualifications for young people on countryside issues; regeneration / widening knowledge and skills base

- Increase and improve local community partnerships, who can shape strategies and revitalise towns from the bottom up

- Increase the number of affordable housing

- Maintain a healthy balance of key attractions, independent stores, regional traders in market towns.

- Encourage local produce / trade

- Increase the number of community events

- Sustainable communities

- Encourage homeworking – money is then spent in local communities, reduces carbon footprint

- Increase leisure facilities

- Ensure villages and towns which are bypassed do not become dormant ‘trade’ towns