Issue - meetings

To receive a report by the Head of Environmental and Community Services on Cambridgeshire Acre’s Rural Strategy.

Noted the contents of the report and endorsed the submission of suggested answers to the consultation paper incorporating the comments made by the Overview and Scrutiny Panels, to Cambridgeshire Acre.

Consideration was given to a report by the Head of Environmental and Community Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) to which was attached a Rural Strategy for Cambridgeshire 2010 - 2015 produced by Cambridgeshire ACRE on behalf of the Cambridgeshire Together Board.

The Cabinet were advised that the Strategy had been commissioned to identify the challenges of living and working in a rural community.  Members have been informed of the priorities accorded to the Strategy's three themes of living in the countryside, economic well-being and land and environment and the contents of responses to each of the actions proposed.  In discussing a summary of officer responses to each of the proposed actions, Executive Councillors have endorsed their comments outlined in Appendix A to the report.  Attention also has been drawn to the conclusions reached by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Social Well-Being) and Members have concurred with the Panel that the strategy: -

Ø  lacked evidence of partnership working and that any work carried out under the Strategy should be carefully co-ordinated;

Ø  could potential lead to a duplication in service provision;

Ø  failed to consider the locality of retirement homes in rural areas, to enable individuals to remain close to their families and communities;

Ø  referred to “widening transport options” and that this matter requires action on a national scale; and

Ø  failed to address the difficulties faced by residents living in rural areas who do not have their own transport and are reliant on other transport providers to attend health and other public service facilities.

Having noted that the Leader and the Chief Executive would be able to raise these issues at the next meeting of Cambridgeshire Together Board, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

  that the contents of the report be noted and the suggested answers to the consultation paper set out in the Annex to the report now submitted incorporating the comments made by the Overview and Scrutiny Panels be endorsed, for submission to Cambridgeshire Acre.

To receive a report by the Head of Environmental and Community Health Services on Cambridgeshire ACRE’s Rural Strategy, prior to its consideration by the Cabinet.

20 Minutes.

With the assistance of a report by the Head of Environmental and Community Health Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Panel gave consideration to the draft Rural Strategy for Cambridgeshire 2010-2015. The Strategy was subject to consultation with key stakeholders and Partners and Members noted that the consultation period would end on 23^rd April 2010.

The Panel was informed of the background to the Strategy and noted that the Cambridgeshire Together Board had commissioned Cambridgeshire ACRE to undertake the work required to produce it with a view to identifying the challenges of living and working in rural communities. Members’ attention was drawn to the actions and “Ambitions” identified under the Strategy’s three themes of living in the countryside, economic well-being and land and environment.

Details of the consultation undertaken to date with statutory agencies, community organisations, rural businesses and residents were presented to the Panel and particular attention was drawn to Appendix A to the report, which contained a summary of Officers’ responses to each of the actions proposed within the Strategy. Members endorsed the comments contained in Appendix A, but also registered concern at the lack of ownership and funding available to meet the aims of the Strategy.

The Panel stressed the importance of recognising that rurality was an equalities issue. Comment also was made that the Strategy sometimes lacked evidence of partnership working where it was required and Members were of the view that work carried out under the Strategy should be carefully co-ordinated. It further appeared to them that there was potential for duplication in service provision. At the same time it was felt that efforts should be made to ensure that all organisations that could potentially be involved had not been excluded from contributing to the achievement of the Strategy and that Town and Parish Councils would be important in delivering many of its actions.

Having regard to the theme of living in the countryside, specific comment was made on the need for retirement homes to be provided on “exceptions sites” in rural areas as this would enable elderly individuals to remain close to their families and communities. The Head of Environmental and Community Health Services undertook to clarify whether this already formed part of the Older Peoples Housing Strategy.

With regard to the actions identified within the “Widening transport options” priority, the Panel was of the view that this matter required action at the national level.

Finally, comment was made on the difficulties faced by residents living in rural areas who did not have their own transport and who were reliant on other transport providers to attend health service facilities. While there were some local providers, including volunteer car schemes, it was evident that there were gaps in provision and this was something that could be addressed under the Strategy.

RESOLVED

  that that the Cabinet be advised of the Panel's views on the draft Rural Strategy for Cambridgeshire 2010-2015.