Complementarities between urban and rural areas in promoting ...
Complementarities between urban and rural areas in promoting ... Complementarities between urban and rural areas in promoting ...
COMPLEMENTARITIES BETWEEN URBAN AND RURAL AREAS IN PROMOTING EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL INCLUSIONThe changing nature of the rural communitiesin EssexRural communities in Essex have recently changed.22% of the workforce commutes daily outof the county, which means that rural settlementshave largely become dormitory towns.There is an overall reduction in affordable housingas people from London are purchasingsecond properties as holiday homes or weekendlets. As a result of the loss of agricultural subsidiesand markets, there has been a reduction infarm incomes, a loss of traditional rural skillsand there are changing skill requirements. Allthese aspects have a negative impact on therural economy.Local government is particularly involved in providingbasic social amenities, education andcommunication, access to rural transport facilities,ensuring availability of affordable housing,maintaining public rights of way as well as theremoval of rural social isolation barriers.This is done in cooperation with districts,boroughs, and town and parish councils. Thereare 2-way liaisons on all key issues includingeconomic development, social services, environment,transport, planning and tourism.lost. As a result, a number of farmers and farmworkers left the farming industry. The impact ofthe Foot and Mouth Disease on tourism was feltto a much stronger extent. The number of visitorsto the countryside fell. This was furtheramplified by the impact of 11 September 2001.The result was a huge loss in revenue for thecounty and an immediate reduction in seasonalemployment.In this very difficult situation, the Essex RuralPartnership was established, which has currentlyover 160 representatives and decision makersfrom the rural economy and rural organisations.It is a communication network including all keystakeholders from both inside and outside theEssex County Council, and serves as a forum forthe exchange and dissemination of information.One of the first tasks of the Essex Rural Partnershipwas to subdivide itself into manageableareas such as rural economy, employment, community,transport, the environment and conservation.It has three secretariats for the threesub-groups as well as a coordination body and arural strategy group which takes advice frompeople at the ground level as to the form longtermpolicy should take.MEASURES TAKEN AND FIRST OUTCOMESThe Foot and Mouth Crisis 2001There has recently been the challenge of theFoot and Mouth crisis. The County Council initiatedemergency procedures by closing allpublic rural rights of way and the County Councilmonitored and evaluated disease control togetherwith the Department for Environment, Foodand Rural Affairs (DEFRA) which made recommendationson measures to be taken to the UKParliament.●The establishment of a rural economy and employmenthub called Waymark Essex. This serves as apartnership of 150+ agencies, providing adviceand training. It is a signposting and problem solvingfacility which is free of charge.● Specific help for the tourism industry: £50,000was invested in an advertising campaign. Supportfor Agro-Tourism schemes was given ie. craftfairs and food fairs to create extra-seasonalemployment.— 14 —The Foot and Mouth Disease had a severe impacton the social and employment situation of the●The Essex Farm Attractions Group was establishedto encourage farm diversification, givingcountryside. Farmers were not allowed to movefarmers the possibility to earn extra income whiletheir cattle but they still had related expenses.continuing with their usual farming activities. InMoreover, some of the traditional markets wereaddition, they intended to create further jobs
COMPLEMENTARITIES BETWEEN URBAN AND RURAL AREAS IN PROMOTING EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL INCLUSION●●●●and sustain those jobs that were already there.There was also an educational spin-off and thisgroup succeeded in raising awareness amongurban visitors of farming practices.The Essex Farm and Country AccommodationsGroup started its work in order to encouragemore tourist accommodation, agro-tourism, ecotourism, the possibility to work together withdifferent interest groups and a re-training schemefor rural workers.The Essex Association of Farmer Markets whichaims to encourage people to buy locally grownproduce. In addition there was a Young Farmersshow in May 2002, financially supported by theCounty Council, whose aim is to raise awarenessof current farming activities.A further aim is to save and sustain rural communityfacilities. Village shops and post officeswere revitalised. From April 2002, a new pilotprogramme with Community InformationCentre Points was set up.Training schemes and work-based courses wereinitiated. For example, Adult Community Colleges,schools and libraries are used outside the normalopening hours to set up training schemes inrural areas. There are also mobile facilities suchas buses travelling around rural communitiescontaining IT equipment with Internet access fortheir use. It is intended that no one should bemore than 10 to 15 km from an accessible trainingcentre. Courses comprise basic skills suchas literacy, numeric skills, key life skills and ITimprovement skills.●Specific rural job creation and training undertakenby incubator units and “Rural EnterprisesCentres” making use of old farm or utility buildings,water works and so on, turning them intorural enterprise centres and units where smallbusinesses can be set up and have a subsidisedrent for one year. New employment opportunitieshave been created in the tourism sector,subsidised training schemes were establishedfor SMEs and training given in the developmentof business plans for new and existing enterprises.In the area of farming, there has beenwide scale cooperation with other training providerssuch as the National Farmers’ Union. Inaddition, farm diversification seminars wereheld in cooperation with the UK Department forEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)and other groups and agencies. Some managementtraining programmes were also run.CONCLUSIONEssex County found that the best and most costeffectivelong term solution to tackling ruralunemployment and social deprivation was toengage all of the major stakeholders in the ruraleconomy in a strong and vibrant working partnership,supported by targeted government fundingand delivered by local agencies workingtogether to meet local needs.The Community Regeneration Department ofEssex County Council aims to consistently createthese partnerships with all levels of localgovernment, representatives of rural and urbancommunities, support agencies, charities andcommercial organisations for the common good.— 15 —
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COMPLEMENTARITIES BETWEEN URBAN AND RURAL AREAS IN PROMOTING EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL INCLUSION●●●●<strong>and</strong> susta<strong>in</strong> those jobs that were already there.There was also an educational sp<strong>in</strong>-off <strong>and</strong> thisgroup succeeded <strong>in</strong> rais<strong>in</strong>g awareness among<strong>urban</strong> visitors of farm<strong>in</strong>g practices.The Essex Farm <strong>and</strong> Country AccommodationsGroup started its work <strong>in</strong> order to encouragemore tourist accommodation, agro-tourism, ecotourism, the possibility to work together withdifferent <strong>in</strong>terest groups <strong>and</strong> a re-tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g schemefor <strong>rural</strong> workers.The Essex Association of Farmer Markets whichaims to encourage people to buy locally grownproduce. In addition there was a Young Farmersshow <strong>in</strong> May 2002, f<strong>in</strong>ancially supported by theCounty Council, whose aim is to raise awarenessof current farm<strong>in</strong>g activities.A further aim is to save <strong>and</strong> susta<strong>in</strong> <strong>rural</strong> communityfacilities. Village shops <strong>and</strong> post officeswere revitalised. From April 2002, a new pilotprogramme with Community InformationCentre Po<strong>in</strong>ts was set up.Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g schemes <strong>and</strong> work-based courses were<strong>in</strong>itiated. For example, Adult Community Colleges,schools <strong>and</strong> libraries are used outside the normalopen<strong>in</strong>g hours to set up tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g schemes <strong>in</strong><strong>rural</strong> <strong>areas</strong>. There are also mobile facilities suchas buses travell<strong>in</strong>g around <strong>rural</strong> communitiesconta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g IT equipment with Internet access fortheir use. It is <strong>in</strong>tended that no one should bemore than 10 to 15 km from an accessible tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>gcentre. Courses comprise basic skills suchas literacy, numeric skills, key life skills <strong>and</strong> ITimprovement skills.●Specific <strong>rural</strong> job creation <strong>and</strong> tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g undertakenby <strong>in</strong>cubator units <strong>and</strong> “Rural EnterprisesCentres” mak<strong>in</strong>g use of old farm or utility build<strong>in</strong>gs,water works <strong>and</strong> so on, turn<strong>in</strong>g them <strong>in</strong>to<strong>rural</strong> enterprise centres <strong>and</strong> units where smallbus<strong>in</strong>esses can be set up <strong>and</strong> have a subsidisedrent for one year. New employment opportunitieshave been created <strong>in</strong> the tourism sector,subsidised tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g schemes were establishedfor SMEs <strong>and</strong> tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g given <strong>in</strong> the developmentof bus<strong>in</strong>ess plans for new <strong>and</strong> exist<strong>in</strong>g enterprises.In the area of farm<strong>in</strong>g, there has beenwide scale cooperation with other tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g providerssuch as the National Farmers’ Union. Inaddition, farm diversification sem<strong>in</strong>ars wereheld <strong>in</strong> cooperation with the UK Department forEnvironment, Food <strong>and</strong> Rural Affairs (DEFRA)<strong>and</strong> other groups <strong>and</strong> agencies. Some managementtra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g programmes were also run.CONCLUSIONEssex County found that the best <strong>and</strong> most costeffectivelong term solution to tackl<strong>in</strong>g <strong>rural</strong>unemployment <strong>and</strong> social deprivation was toengage all of the major stakeholders <strong>in</strong> the <strong>rural</strong>economy <strong>in</strong> a strong <strong>and</strong> vibrant work<strong>in</strong>g partnership,supported by targeted government fund<strong>in</strong>g<strong>and</strong> delivered by local agencies work<strong>in</strong>gtogether to meet local needs.The Community Regeneration Department ofEssex County Council aims to consistently createthese partnerships with all levels of localgovernment, representatives of <strong>rural</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>urban</strong>communities, support agencies, charities <strong>and</strong>commercial organisations for the common good.— 15 —
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