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REGIONAL
AGENCY WELCOMES BOOST TO RURAL COMMUNITIES
The Rural White Paper, announcing increased funding for economic
and social development in the countryside, puts the South East
England Development Agency [SEEDA] in the forefront of bringing
new life to the regions rural communities.
Launched
in Romsey, Hampshire, the new Rural White Paper sets out a clear
framework for future investment and has been warmly welcomed
by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA). Rural
Sector Director at SEEDA, Valerie Carter, said the White Paper
"acknowledges the importance to all of us of the character and
beauty of the English countryside." SEEDA shares the Government's
vision of "a living, working, protected and vibrant countryside
where people have access to the jobs and services they require."
The
Rural White Paper, Valerie Carter explained, is set to "make
a powerful difference to the quality of life in the countryside"
by:
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Supporting vital village services with a new Community Service
Fund
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Introducing more modern rural services including new primary
care "one stop" centres
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Providing more affordable homes by doubling the Housing Corporation's
rural programme
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Delivering effective local transport solutions, including
providing 12,000 parishes with a new grant scheme
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Rejuvenating market towns and a thriving local economy with
a new £37 million investment programme
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Working with the new England Rural Development Plan and giving
farmers additional funds to give redundant farm buildings
a new lease of life
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Preserving what makes rural England special
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Ensuring everyone can enjoy an accessible countryside
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Giving local power to country towns and villages through a
new programme which will fund the development of 1,000 town
and village plans
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"Thinking rural" by establishing regional stakeholder panels
to examine how national policy impacts on the countryside
The
White Paper is an endorsement of all the work being undertaken
by the Regional Development Agencies - it recognises all the
key objectives identified by SEEDA and our partners and which
are included in SEEDA's Regional Economic Strategy. Many of
the principles outlined and promoted are already being worked
up and delivered by SEEDA.
Chief
Executive of SEEDA, Anthony Dunnett, commented: "The countryside
in the South East is one of our greatest economic assets. We
are all aware of the crisis facing agriculture - yet farmers
are the essential managers of our landscapes. Without their
careful stewardship, the countryside as we know it would disappear.
We must continue to support the region's farming communities
by allowing them to realise their full potential."
Anthony
Dunnett said he particularly welcomed the major new investment
being channelled through SEEDA to help market towns. "These
are vital to people living in the countryside - they provide
jobs, key services and other facilities for surrounding villages
and hamlets. They are often the hub of public transport routes.
It was important that the launch of the Rural White Paper took
place in Romsey, one of the South East's leading market towns."
In
its response to the Government, SEEDA welcomed the pledge of
additional resources to help farmers diversify some of their
redundant buildings into new uses - and the recognition in the
White Paper of the new opportunities afforded by rural tourism
and the development of local produce. Continued support for
communities in the more deprived areas, through SEEDA's Rural
Priority Areas programme, was also welcomed.
With
planning seen as a key component to a successful and vibrant
rural economy, SEEDA is organising a series of planning seminars
in the spring, together with the Ministry of Agriculture, to
foster a better understanding of the changes that must take
place and how these might impact on rural planning policies.
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