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

THURSDAY 16TH JANUARY 2020 RECREATION CENTRE, LOUGHRY COLLEGE, COOKSTOWN BT80 9AA

Rural Stakeholder Engagement Event

WORKING TOWARDS A NEW RURAL FRAMEWORK

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Welcome & Introductions

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Opening Remarks

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Rural Trends, Challenges & Opportunities Across the Regions

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

• pposed 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
• f 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

• pposing arguments. What do we want?
• Who decides what is the right path forward?
• Important to carefully think out what type of rural

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Over to You - Roundtable Discussions

Working Group 1 Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Presented by: Gerard O’Neill

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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

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To create a rural society where innovation and entrepreneurship flourish

Working Group 1 – Goal

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• 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

Working Group 1 - Context

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• 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

Working Group 1 - Aims

Working Group 2 Rural Tourism

Presented by: Anne Currie

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Working Group 2 - Membership

Local Action Groups Councils Rural Support Network - Cookstown and Western Shores Area Network Rural Support Network – RAPID NI Tourism NI & Tourism Ireland Outdoor Recreation NI National Trust Department for the Economy Department for Communities DAERA – Rural Affairs Division DAERA - Natural Environment Division

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To maximise the contribution that sustainable rural tourism makes to rural society and to the wider economy and environment

Working Group 2 – Goal

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• In Jan-March 2019 NI attracted a previously unsurpassed 550,000 visitors from
• utside 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

Working Group 2 - Context

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• 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%

• n 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.

Working Group 2 – Context

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• 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

Working Group 2 - Aims

Working Group 3 Social Wellbeing

Presented by: Gerard Treacy

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DAERA – Rural Affairs Division (West) DAERA – Sustainable Communities Branch Public Health Agency Rural Support Northern Health and Social Care Trust Department for Communities Fermanagh and Omagh District Council Rural Action Ards and North Down District Council Southern Organisation for Action in Rural Areas Generating Rural Opportunities within South Antrim Rural Support Network - County Down Rural Community Network Rural Support Network - Community Organisations of South Tyrone Area (COSTA)

Working Group 3 - Membership

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To reduce loneliness and social exclusion in rural areas, to minimise the impacts of rural isolation and to promote the health and wellbeing of rural dwellers

Working Group 3 – Goal

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• Many social wellbeing issues are inter-related, highlighting the need for joint action

and working in partnership with a range of service providers

• Service delivery should build on existing community infrastructure and make best use
• f the rural estate
• Outreach into rural communities is essential to reaching those most at risk, and

should have the ability to engage with all sectors/age groups through local connections

• Mental health is a key concern amongst rural dwellers, heightened by concerns

around household incomes and the ability to access wellbeing services

Working Group 3 - Context

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• We will champion awareness and understanding of rural social

exclusion, isolation and loneliness

• We will support a rural dimension within the work of other
• rganisations which are promoting positive health and wellbeing,

addressing social exclusion, isolation and loneliness and build the capacity of rural organisations and people to develop their activities in this area

Working Group 3 - Aims

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• We will establish effective approaches to reducing loneliness and social

exclusion in rural areas, to minimise the impacts of social isolation and to promote the health and wellbeing of rural dwellers

• We will sustain the future viability of villages as social and economic

centres

• We will support the strategic development of existing rural community

assets as places where people can meet, interact, access services and enhance their health and wellbeing

Working Group 3 - Aims

Working Group 4 Employment

Presented by: Jerome Burns

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Working Group 4 - Membership

DAERA - Rural Affairs Division DAERA - Sustainable Rural Communities Branch Department for the Economy Invest NI Newry, Mourne & Down District Council Lisburn & Castlereagh Borough Council Ards & North Down Borough Council Mourne, Gullion & Lecale Local Action Group Southern Regional College Newry & Mourne Enterprise Agency Rural Support Network - Omagh Forum for Rural Associations

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To increase employment

• pportunities available to

people living in rural areas

Working Group 4 – Goal

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• 7 out of the 10 most disadvantaged SOAs are rural
• Rural economy wages tend to be lower
• Disproportionate importance of agri food sector
• Brexit
• Barriers to employment – transport, childcare & benefits
• Disconnect between business and education/training sector

Working Group 4 - Context

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• We will promote rural prosperity by providing support to non-

farming rural enterprises to help increase rural business start- ups, sustainability and growth

• We will champion the need to address the personal and

practical issues which create barriers to employability for our rural citizens

• We will invest in and develop our rural society

Working Group 4 - Aims

Working Group 5 Connectivity

Presented by: Niall Heaney

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Working Group 5 - Membership

Rural Community Network Department for the Economy NI Rural Women's Network Department for Infrastructure Easilink Community Transport Department for Communities Libraries NI DAERA - Rural Affairs Division Rural Support Network - Northern Area Community Network Mourne Gullion & Lecale Rural Development Partnership Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council Mid Ulster District Council Ards & North Down Borough Council

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To improve connectivity between rural and urban areas

Working Group 5 – Goal

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• 18% growth in population in rural NI (2001-17) (compared to only 6% in

urban NI)

• Only 67% of rural areas are covered by Superfast Broadband compared to

98% in urban areas

• Average annual salary is £20,030 in rural areas compared to £22,089 in

urban areas

• Only 22% of rural dwellers are a 3 min walk to nearest bus stop

(compared to 41% in urban areas) with annual commuting miles and reliance

• n a car more prevalent
• 58% of NI businesses are rurally based compared to 42% urban based

Working Group 5 – Context

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• We will support balanced regional development by promoting

better connectivity between urban and rural centres

• We will reduce barriers to accessing services in rural areas
• We will support improved telecommunications infrastructure

including high speed broadband making it available to as many people as possible regardless of where they live

Working Group 5 - Aims

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• We will support sustainable public transport services between

rural areas and urban centres and encourage active and public transport usage that better meets the needs of rural citizens

Working Group 5 - Aims

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Opportunities, Gaps, Connections & Synergies

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Feedback

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Next Steps

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Lunch