Rural Stakeholder Engagement Event WORKING TOWARDS A NEW RURAL - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Rural Stakeholder Engagement Event WORKING TOWARDS A NEW RURAL FRAMEWORK THURSDAY 16 TH JANUARY 2020 RECREATION CENTRE, LOUGHRY COLLEGE, COOKSTOWN BT80 9AA

Welcome & Introductions A living, working, active landscape valued by everyone.

Opening Remarks A living, working, active landscape valued by everyone.

Rural Trends, Challenges & Opportunities Across the Regions A living, working, active landscape valued by everyone.

Rural Trends, Challenges & Opportunities across the regions Professor Sally Shortall Centre for Rural Economy, Newcastle University Honorary Professor, Queen’s University Belfast @sally_shortall sally.shortall@ncl.ac.uk

Overview • The emergence of rural development in Northern Ireland • Current context: What will Brexit bring? • Rural development across the regions: commonalities and differences • Opportunities and challenges going forward

The emergence of Rural Development in Northern Ireland • Similar to elsewhere in Europe: ‘The Future of Rural Society’ (1988) • Early 1990s The Department of Agriculture became responsible for rural development (not unusual across Europe) • Rural Development Council and Rural Community Network established • Strong emphasis on rural poverty and disadvantage (both EU and NI) • Close relationship between Government and Community Development Organizations • Political context of the time

Rural Development in Northern Ireland • Move from being responsible for the RDP to rural policy • Problematic responsibility • Inter-departmental working group, Rural Proofing, Rural Needs Act • In addition to RDP, the Initiatives to Tackle Rural Poverty and Social Isolation (TRPSI) • Many of these initiatives exemplary, showing close inter- departmental connections • For example, Assisted Rural Travel Scheme, Rural Business Scheme, Regional Infrastructure Support Scheme

Current context: What will Brexit bring? • Threats and opportunities (true for all of the regions) • Scope to consider whether the priorities of the EU RDP are the same as the priorities for the region • What type of rural Northern Ireland do we want? • Time for a refreshed rural strategy with a reflection on the appropriate instruments needed to implement it • Ability to move beyond rural/agricultural tensions built into EU policy and consider how agriculture / rural development intertwined

Rural development across the regions: commonalities and differences • All see Brexit as a threat and an opportunity • Similar attempts to develop Rural Strategies going forward, although Northern Ireland is further ahead than the other regions • The Scottish are worried about remote areas and islands and seasonal migrants • The Welsh are worried about the loss of trade relationships with Ireland and poor infrastructure • The English are worried about the scale of England, regional differences, affordable housing (not Brexit related) and hill farmers

Rural Development across the regions: commonalities and differences • Northern Ireland and England: rural proofing/ Rural Needs Act. Scotland is very opposed to rural proofing. • North Yorkshire Councils have established a Rural Commission to develop a rural strategy for the region. • Issues raised (NI/ North Yorkshire/ ROI) broadly similar: farming, food and environment; economy and jobs; services; inclusion and well-being; rural/ urban connectivity

Opportunities and challenges going forward • Northern Ireland is leading in preparation for a future Rural Strategy • Need to build on good practice of strong community development, inclusion programmes, innovative TRPSI programme • Very good community infrastructure in place/ closely connected to Govt • Ability to interlink agriculture and rural development going forward

Opportunities and challenges going forward • Wonder about the focus on rural disadvantage – it is there, but not the only thing that is there: differentiated rural • Urban/ rural binary is unhelpful • North east just received a three year multi-million pound award premised on unlocking the potential in the rural economy, building innovation, untapped growth potential • Southern Ireland 2010’s Rural Development Plan specifically talks about changing the narrative

Opportunities and challenges going forward • Reduction or closure of rural services always very emotive – somehow seen as weakening the fabric of community • Realism and what is better quality of life: North Yorkshire and the closure of rural schools • Rationalising services without improved infrastructure is problematic • The delivery of services changes: what is the bigger issue? Having a bank in the local town or having access to online banking and the knowledge of how to use it?

Opportunities and challenges going forward • Evidence will not provide the one true right answer – it depends on what ‘ought’ to be – what type of rural do we want? • For example, North Yorkshire: Rewilding or grouse shooting? Both convincing and diametrically opposing arguments. What do we want? • Who decides what is the right path forward? • Important to carefully think out what type of rural

Over to You - Roundtable Discussions A living, working, active landscape valued by everyone.

Working Group 1 Innovation & Entrepreneurship Presented by: Gerard O’Neill

Working Group 1 - Membership Invest NI Tourism NI Mid Ulster District Council Fermanagh and Omagh District Council Rural Support Network – RAPID NI DAERA - Sustainable Rural Communities Branch DAERA - Resource Economics Branch DAERA - Rural Affairs Division A living, working, active landscape valued by everyone.

Working Group 1 – Goal To create a rural society where innovation and entrepreneurship flourish A living, working, active landscape valued by everyone.

Working Group 1 - Context • Micro & Small businesses are particularly dominant in rural areas • NI has historically lagged behind the rest of the UK in terms of enterprise start up and in the level of innovative activity • On average farm incomes are down • Females in NI are half as likely to be entrepreneurs as males • The social economy is growing but more can be done in rural areas • More rural businesses are owned by people from whom export is not the main driver • We know that rural areas are lagging behind in terms of tourism A living, working, active landscape valued by everyone.

Working Group 1 - Aims • We will develop a culture of rural innovation • We will raise awareness, build capacity & capability to engage in rural entrepreneurship & innovation • We will invest in and develop our rural economy A living, working, active landscape valued by everyone.

Working Group 2 Rural Tourism Presented by: Anne Currie

Working Group 2 - Membership Local Action Groups Councils Rural Support Network – RAPID Rural Support Network - Cookstown and Western Shores Area Network NI Tourism NI & Tourism Ireland Outdoor Recreation NI National Trust Department for the Economy DAERA – Rural Affairs Division Department for Communities DAERA - Natural Environment Division A living, working, active landscape valued by everyone.

Working Group 2 – Goal To maximise the contribution that sustainable rural tourism makes to rural society and to the wider economy and environment A living, working, active landscape valued by everyone.

Working Group 2 - Context • In Jan-March 2019 NI attracted a previously unsurpassed 550,000 visitors from outside NI (+14%). Growth was evident for both the ROI (+34%) and GB and Other Overseas (+8%) markets • More than 1m overnight trips (domestic and external) were taken in NI during Jan-March 2019. This is a record breaking number of trips, up by 7% on Jan- March 2018, with increases evident for all main markets • Visitors spent £180m (-3% on Q1 2018), with spend reducing for all markets except the domestic market. Some £2m was spent on average each day during Q1 2019 A living, working, active landscape valued by everyone.

Working Group 2 – Context • Holiday trips increased by almost one quarter compared with Jan-March 2018, with all main markets delivering growth • The most recent NI accommodation statistics (Jan-September 2019) show unprecedented sales with over 3.7 million bed-spaces sold - an increase of 7% on Jan-September 2018 • In 2017/18 the proportion of households in NI very or fairly concerned about the environment was 71%. • Significant volumes of visitors are day tripping to particular destinations. A living, working, active landscape valued by everyone.

Working Group 2 - Aims • We will encourage and support the delivery of compelling year round, authentic visitor products and experiences of a quality that will provide international stand out for Northern Ireland • We will support a rural tourism sector that is commercially focused and achieves sustainable levels of growth and prosperity • We will facilitate welcoming and supportive rural communities to play an enhanced role in developing and managing tourism in their locality, thereby strengthening, benefitting and enriching local areas • We will recognise, value, protect and enhance Northern Ireland’s natural, cultural and historic built environment as the cornerstone of its rural tourism A living, working, active landscape valued by everyone.