The Government will today unveil plans to give rural communities more power to the hold the government to account through the use of a "contract" aimed at voters in remote corners of the UK.
The Rural Statement, launched by the new Defra Secretary of State Owen Paterson MP, recognises the importance of agriculture to the rural economy and spells out the Government’s commitment to ‘encouraging sustainable production of the high quality produce and food that Britain is known for’.
The 'rural contract' was hailed as a 'step in the right direction' by the NFU but it said the promises must be delivered.
“The Rural Statement issued today by DEFRA is a welcome reassertion of the Coalition Government’s commitment to rural communities. It presents a range of Ministerial initiatives across many Government departments, including a necessary recognition of rural areas’ contribution to economic growth" said Mark Shucksmith, Director at the Newcastle Institute for Social Renewal, Newcastle University.
“However, there is a certain air of unreality about this account in the face of what rural people are currently experiencing. Services are under great pressure as council budgets are subject to major cuts, and many voluntary and community organisations are also struggling with financial pressures" Shucksmith continued.
"Thus, a small increase in funding for community transport is mentioned, but not the 20% cut in the Bus Services’ Operators Grant (BSOG) from 2012-13 which is expected by the Transport Select Committee to lead to the loss of many rural services. Similarly, there are warm words about rural housing initiatives, but no recognition of the reality that affordable housing starts have fallen dramatically, by 65% across England in the last year for which figures are available."
The move will be seen by many as government plans to reconnect with rural voters after attracting criticism over its handling of the dairy milk price protests and its forestry policy.
Prime Minister David Cameron removed both the Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman and the Farming Minister Jim Paice in the cabinet reshuffle.
“It is so important that we see the sustainable intensification of agriculture – producing more while reducing our impact on the environment – if we are to meet the world’s need for more food without undoing the environmental gains we have made" said Meurig Raymond, NFU Deputy President.
Farming unions also welcomed Government support in the statement for the Green Food Project - a joint initiative between Government, industry and environmental bodies - designed to identify how sustainable intensification will work in practice.
"The fact that one of Owen Paterson's first acts as Secretary of State has been to launch this Rural Statement is an excellent sign for the future of rural areas" said Chair of the Rural Coalition Lord Robin Teverson.
"His big challenge now is to keep all Whitehall departments, beyond DEFRA, committed to the rural cause. Their individual buy-in to this Statement is encouraging."
"As the Rural Coalition we are particularly pleased to see the commitment given to the regular monitoring of progress. One of our fears since departmental reorganisations and the bonfire of quangos has been the fragmentation and loss of rural data. The Statement makes it clear that keeping that database will be a core role of the Rural Communities Policy Unit."
"At the end of the day that data is essential to show whether the good intentions of Government really are delivered."
However, Meurig Raymond stressed that promises must now be turned into action.
“The Government’s commitment to freeing rural businesses from the unnecessary Government control that has got in the way of rural economic growth in the past is very welcome though we now need to see action matching the rhetoric” he said.
"We were very disappointed that the package excludes capital allowances directed at on-farm investment, for example, to build climate-friendly poultry units."
Raymond added that the Government’s investment in broadband, though welcome, was unlikely to be enough to meet its targets for 2015. “The extra £300 million Government money for broadband announced in August needs to be used thoughtfully to help as many rural people as possible to get connected to high-speed broadband as this is an essential business tool. We can expect commercial companies to connect at least two-thirds of the population - there is Government funding already committed to extend the network further, but the most remote rural areas still pose a huge challenge.”
The NFU also believes it will be important to ensure that the Rural Community Renewable Energy Fund meets the needs of all concerned including farmers as well as the local communities within which they operate.
