Transcript Leicestershire Rural Framework 2011-2014

Parish Councils Rural Survey
Jake Atkinson
LRALC Chief Officer
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Leicestershire Rural Partnership
Serving rural communities for 20 years:
• Deliver rural projects which fill gaps in
mainstream provision
• Influence others to ensure they consider rural
within their policies, strategies and actions
• Listen, facilitate joint working, advise and
lobby
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Who?
• LCC cabinet lead (Chairman)
• Districts (tbc, Melton Chief Executive)
• Leicestershire and Rutland Association for Local
Councils
• Rural Community Council
• Voluntary Community Sector (Community Transport)
• Federation for Small Business
• Country Land and Business Association
• National Farmers Union
• Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership
• National Forest Company
• Independent Business Representative
• Leicestershire Promotions Ltd
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
What? The BIG 7!!
• Active, inclusive & empowered Parish Councils &
meetings
• Sustainable growth, high quality employment
opportunities & increased vocational training in rural
priority sectors (land-based, F&D, tourism, creative &
knowledge-based)
• Increased availability of affordable homes
• Retain good access to essential village services &
facilities
• Broadband
• Effective and integrated public & community transport
(innovative travel solutions)
• Communities & businesses reducing their carbon
footprint
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Background to the Survey
• Commissioned by LRP to undertake research
with parish councils around rural priorities
• Supporting parish councils came out as a high
priority at the LT challenge workshops.
• Aim:
– to maximise data availability for future LRP outcomes;
– to develop robust evidence based on the needs of
these councils in addressing rural issues;
– to improve engagement with PCs
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Methodology
• Conducted survey in early 2013.
• Survey was available on-line and by hard
copy
• Completed (in full or part) by 53 Local
Council or Parish Meeting representatives
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Some statistics
• Councils from Harborough and
Charnwood had the highest response rate,
with NW Leics and Melton the lowest.
• Majority of councils responding had
electorates of 1001 or less.
• 57% of surveys were completed by the
Clerk to the Council
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Rural Issues – A priority?
• 92.4% said rural issues were a priority for their Council.
Reasons included:
 The parish is a small but active rural community and we
are trying to keep it that way
 The parish has few transport links and few facilities
 We feel the villages rural character is under threat
 There is still a farming community
 The digital age means rural communities are being
left behind when broadband speeds are so low.
 A key current objective is the implementation of the
refurbishment project at [the] Community Centre
which will include a community coffee shop and
meeting point
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Rural Issues & the role of PCs
What do you believe is the role of parish and town councils in addressing rural
issues?
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Direct provision of Providing funds to Lobbying higher Working with the
facilities/services
support the
tiers of local
voluntary sector
provision of local government and
and other
facilities/services
others
partnerships (e.g.
the LRP) to
support their rural
work
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
No role to play
Not sure
Other
Partnerships
• Councils primarily work with:
– their District/Borough Council and LRALC,
followed closely by the Rural Community
Council and Leicestershire County Council.
• A far smaller number of Councils
already work with the LRP and VAL.
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Partnerships
Which organisations, groups and/or partnerships does your council work with to
support its work around rural issues?
60
50
40
30
20
10
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Other
Not sure
Voluntary
Action
Leicestershire
County Council
District/Borough
Council
Rural
Community
Council
Leicestershire
Rural
Partnership
Leicestershire
& Rutland
Association of
Local Councils
0
Localism
• Government sees local councils as having a key
role to play in delivering localism (Eric Pickles:
“Localism’s magic wand”).
• Localism Act 2011 gives PCs specific powers
they can use to address local issues.
• Most powerful of these is the General Power of
Competence (GPoC).
• 53% of respondents indicated that they may use
GPoC to address rural issues in the future
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Localism – GPoC & Rural Issues
Does your council plan to use the General Power of Competence to address rural
issues?
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Yes
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
No
Not at present but may do in
the future
Don’t know
Localism - Influence & Impact
Will the Localism Act (and the wider Localism agenda) allow your Parish Council to
have more, less, or the same influence and impact when addressing rural issues?
25
20
15
10
5
0
More
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Less
Same
Don’t know
Countywide Priorities
• 38% of respondents were not sure
whether their PC has a role to play in
delivering county-wide strategic priorities.
• 30% considered PCs do have a role to
play
• 32% consider PCs have no role to play
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Countywide Priorities - Comments
 We have an important role to play as the nearest level of
local government
 We are small and do not have the facilities
 Mainly time constraints
 Limited admin/Clerk support
 Councillors choice - mainly focus on issues that directly
benefit [the parish]
 We would like to if we knew precisely how to go about it!
 We have not been active in these areas and have little
knowledge of them
 Keeping heads above water is taxing. If LRP told us
what they thought we could do it would be easier to
engage
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
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LRP Resources
Which of the following LRP resources/activities has your Council used?
30
28
25
20
15
8
10
4
2
1
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
3
4
10
3
0
0
LRP Resources
• Why do you not currently engage, what might
change this;
 Lack of knowledge, lack of capacity
 Time mainly
 The activities do not seem to have particular
relevance to a very small parish
 More information on what the LRP is about
 The language used to describe them is often hard to
translate to parish level
 Lack of capacity and other priorities - would need to
see real benefit to the Parish Council
 We have not had particular issues where we
perceived that LRP could assist.
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
LRP Priorities (average score, descending
order)
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Recommendations
• The creation of a “Parish Council Development
Fund”, to help build capability and knowledge to
address rural issues in their areas; or
• Establish a Parish Council pilot scheme to look
at innovative ways of addressing rural issues
with an emphasis on one or more of the LRP
priorities and / or areas of need identified in this
report.
• The delivery of a one-day free “Rurality and
Localism: Supporting Parish Councils” training
day.
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Recommendations
•
•
•
Ongoing training/support (including sharing of
case studies) for PCs in use of powers
available to PCs under the Localism Act.
Presentation on LRP Rural Framework &
Priorities at each District PC liaison event.
When reviewing/renewing LRP priorities
ensure there is targeted consultation (including
facilitated presentations) with PCs to feed into
the setting of these priorities.
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Recommendations
•
•
•
Promote & encourage use of volunteers to increase
capacity within PCs to address rural issues within their
parish; explore linkages with local community coaches.
Focussed LRALC activity around the 2015 PC
elections to increase the number and range of
candidates putting themselves forward to be parish
councillors; link to communities in charge/taking
charge.
Jargon buster/plain English guide to explain
Leicestershire structures and priorities including
delivery organisations and how they can
support/benefit PCs.
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Recommendations
•
•
Parish Councils to register on the LRP
website (www.oakleaves.org.uk) to
receive regular updates on LRP activity
including services that can support /
benefit PCs.
The development of a parish council
page on the LRP Oakleaves website,
compiling useful information and links to
assist PCs in their rural activities.
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Next Steps
• Full draft report to be circulated to LRP
Board shortly, followed by wide circulation.
• Consideration of report and
recommendations at future LRP meeting
• Funding proposals to access additional
LRP funds to support delivery of
recommended actions drafted and
submitted.
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils
Feedback please!
• Do the survey results reflect your
professional views and experience/the
views of your council?
• Do you feel the recommendations are
appropriate and would benefit your council
and its parishioners?
• Any other comments about how we can
improve the engagement of PCs with the
LRP and its services, projects, & events?
Leicestershire & Rutland
Association of Local Councils