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REVIEW OF THE RURAL STRATEGY
The purpose of this document is to facilitate discussion about a new Rural Strategy for North
Hertfordshire.
It is anticipated that the final strategy will include sections such as an Introduction, Principles,
Executive Summary, the Importance of Rural Areas, and some profile information. We also
propose that the refreshed Parish Charter will be included as an appendix.
This document goes straight to the heart of the matter - what are the policies and actions that
are important to our rural communities?
It has generally been accepted that the 2005 Rural Strategy needs to be streamlined.
The key actions pages of this document list the key actions from the core part of that document
sorted to reflect the themes in the Sustainable Community Strategy.
NHDC officers have conducted an initial review against three criteria:
A) Is this action a one off that has been completed and does not need to be
continued?
B) Is this action ongoing and needs to be continued or modified?
C) Are there any issues that should be included now in the light of changed
circumstances and priorities?
In this draft version nearly all the 2005 actions have been included. Some new actions e.g. rural
regeneration / diversification and response to climate change have been suggested. There
could be other suggestions.
The document must also make relevant links with other existing strategies such as the
Sustainable Community Strategy, the Climate Change Strategy and the Waste and Recycling
Strategy to ensure the best use of resources available to the Council and all of our partners.
The Parish and Town Councils Conference gives us the opportunity to introduce the document
as it currently stands and to seek partners’ views regarding its future direction, content, etc. To
take the document forward we intend to set up a working group to review and produce the Rural
Strategy.
An initial report on how we will take the document forward through consultation and final
agreement is scheduled for the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on
Tuesday 20th July and its Cabinet meeting on Tuesday 27th July. Following a consultation period
and further consideration by Parish representatives, the final sign-off of the new Rural Strategy
will be at the NHDC Cabinet meeting on the 7th December 2010.
Jim Brown
NHDC Policy Manager
25 June 2010
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North Hertfordshire’s
RURAL STRATEGY - OUTLINE
2010 – 2015
Making North Hertfordshire a vibrant place to live, work and prosper
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CONTENTS
TITLE
PAGE
Executive Summary
Introduction
Principles
Importance of Rural Issues
Context
Key Objectives
Protecting and Enhancing the Environment
Providing Decent and Affordable Housing
Travel, Transport and Connectivity
Children and Young People
Strengthening Communities and Involving People
A Safe Community
Health and Well-Being
Older People
Economic Development and Prosperity
Promoting
Lifelong
Learning,
Development
Parish Charter
Appendices (inc. consultation and profile)
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Training
and
Skills
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INTRODUCTION
(The introduction to the new rural strategy will be here)
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PRINCIPLES
The Rural Strategy will reflect many of the original aspirations of the Sustainable Community
Strategy for North Hertfordshire, since that was created following extensive consultation with
individuals, representative groups from the voluntary and community sector, parish and town
councils as well as through statutory agencies. It will help focus the district vision, “Making North
Hertfordshire a vibrant place to live, work and prosper” to ensure it meets the specific needs and
circumstances of our rural communities.
We believe that a ‘sustainable community’ is one that is organised so as to enable all its citizens to
meet their needs and enhance their well-being without damaging the natural world or endangering
the living conditions of other people, now or in the future. Thus the following principles have been
adopted:
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governance – well-run communities with effective and inclusive participation,
representation and leadership
environmental – providing places for people to live in an environmentally friendly way,
including awareness of, and action on, climate change
economic – a thriving, vibrant and diverse local economy
housing and the built environment – well-designed, high-quality and affordable
buildings in a well-balanced built and natural environment
transport and connectivity – well-connected communities with good transport services
linking people to jobs, health and other services
services – public, private, community and voluntary services that are available to all
social and culture – active, inclusive and safe with a strong local culture and other
shared community activities
equality and diversity – fair for everyone in our diverse world, both for today’s and
tomorrow’s communities.
rural proofing – ensuring that the rural dimension is explicitly considered in the
development and review of strategies
IMPORTANCE OF RURAL ISSUES
The Council recognises the opportunities and pleasures of rural life but also appreciates the growing
complexity, pressures and challenges of what it is to live in rural areas. In so doing, we understand
that such issues cannot be solved by the local authority or indeed any agency acting alone, but by
working together with partner public, private, voluntary and community organisations.
The rural dimension is very important in shaping the character of North Hertfordshire, its
communities, economy and environment. The importance of agriculture and rural businesses, the
countryside, along with the small scale and dispersed nature of rural communities, all serve to pose
challenges that are often quite different to our urban areas within the district. Our approach and that
of our partners must respond accordingly to these rural needs. This is a vital consideration when
developing effective public policy and service delivery in rural areas.
By contrast, however, it is also important to recognise that our rural communities do not exist in
isolation from the rest of the district. Indeed there is a high level of mutual dependence and
connectivity between rural and urban areas. For example those who live in our rural areas often
work in our towns or go there for shopping, social and leisure facilities. Similarly the rural
environment adds to the quality of life enjoyed by all residents of the district and is a considerable
asset for the area.
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Protecting and Enhancing the Environment
KEY ACTIONS

Promote sustainable development of the district to ensure we protect the environment
and conserve the heritage of our historic and rural settlements.
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Increase the opportunities to be able to recycle and encourage people to use less
resources.
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Encourage the inclusion of environmental actions into parish plans.
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Enhance conservation and the positive historical aspects of village life.

Advance the district’s climate change strategy including adaptation to climate change,
reductions in the emissions of greenhouse gases and consideration of the issues relevant
to rural areas
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Reduce the negative environmental impact of the agricultural and forestry sectors

Continue to implement the Green Space Action plan
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Improve the ecological condition of the rural environment
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Reduce waste arising from the agri-food sector
Providing Decent and Affordable Housing
KEY ACTIONS

Work towards meeting the affordable housing need in rural parishes in ways that are
relevant and sustainable.

Continue to work on a programme of parish housing need surveys in partnership with the
Community Development Association (CDA) Rural Housing Enabler
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Deliver affordable homes on exception sites to meet rural housing needs
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Review opportunities for bringing empty rural homes back into use.
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Rural affordable housing designated as “intermediate” i.e. shared ownership to remain
affordable for use by the local community
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Maintain close liaison with Parish Councils in order to monitor changing community
needs.
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Travel, Transport and Connectivity
KEY ACTIONS

Continue to consider and influence Hertfordshire County Council’s network reviews of all bus
services, routes and usage.

Provide advice for the scoping and implementation of parish travel plans (or the transport
element of parish plans), including identified objectives such as to:
o
Influence Hertfordshire County Council in the development of school travel plans and
safer routes to school
o
Update NHDC cycling strategy to cover rural areas. Encourage the delineation of cyclist
desire lines in parish plans.
o
Identify rat runs, their impacts, and propose measures to manage them. Identify where
lorry and large vehicle bans are needed
o
Improve footpaths and crossings
o
Introduce safety improvements to cater for speeding, parking and junction visibility
hazards
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Improve transport options for young people
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Improve internet access in rural areas, for example in public places. This will reduce the
need to travel.
Children and Young People
KEY ACTIONS

Improve rural play areas. This is a priority in the Children and Young People’s Plan for 20092012.
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Work with agencies such as Pro-Action to establish more youth clubs and activities in rural
areas.
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Continue the work on rural play under the Extended Services network and the NHDC rural
play ranger scheme.
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Improve transport facilities for young people. We will continue to support the SCOOTS
transport project for teenagers but will need to know what else is required and in what
locations
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Support the Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) Visible Kids road safety project.

Support the Crucial Crew health and safety scheme

Work with the Children’s Centre to provide parenting support for young families

Enhance and health and well-being by improving sporting facilities especially for children and
young people. Establish optimum locations by considering evidence such as the NHDC
Sports Facility Strategy.

Where possible influence the retention of rural schools

Ensure that young people are consulted and involved in decisions about their local area.
Ensure that all areas are covered by a youth council.
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Strengthening Communities and Involving People
KEY ACTIONS

We will target resources at areas of disadvantage in the district to reduce social exclusion
and improve the quality of life for everyone.

Organise follow up networking events for village halls
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Produce a new (village halls) brochure and information

Encourage greater community volunteering

Consider the report on the condition of village halls and, where appropriate, work with the
parishes to improve them.
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Develop partnerships e.g. with the CDA Village Halls Adviser and CMS (Countryside
Management Service)

Encourage more parishes to produce parish plans. They should include environmental
actions.
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Rural proof the forthcoming Local Development Framework (LDF)
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Work with the CDA rural team
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Support for people with learning difficulties and ensure this is appropriate in our rural
areas
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Consider the provision of community information points
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Improve access to the countryside in ways that will avoid negative impacts on the
environment and biodiversity

Help communities to identify and address their own needs and aspirations for sustainable
development
A Safe Community
KEY ACTIONS

Encourage responsible citizenship and create safe communities with less crime and fear of
crime.

Make effective use of mobile anti fly-tipping cameras

Evaluate the NHDC report, scheduled for Autumn 2010, on “…the use of Covert Cameras for
Envirocrime…” for its relevance to the strategy and consider what recommendations should
be made for rural areas in the District.
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Carry out high visibility operations day and night to cause disruption to criminal activities in
rural areas.
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To continue organising Community Reassurance Days.
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Continue to conduct hare coursing patrols followed by prosecutions.
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Work with partners to promote, support and provide activities for “targeted youth”
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Support for rural businesses to promote the prevention of crime and to increase the
security of premises.

Deal with anti-social motoring, including speeding, where raised at a rural Priority Setting
Forum as a “Safer Neighbourhood” priority, or where the rural location is an identified
accident hotspot.
Health and Well-Being (inc. active and creative)
Health is not just about health services - it is determined by our environment and our lifestyles.
Good health is not merely the absence of disease; it is also a reflection of the social and mental
well-being of people in a community.
We aim to promote leisure, sport, arts and heritage as a means of improving everyone’s quality
of life.
KEY ACTIONS

Helping communities access their rural landscape
o Improve informal recreation opportunities e.g. rights of way.
o Promote the rural areas for recreation and outdoor activities
o Enhance the Parish Paths Partnership
o Increase take up of sporting opportunities through grant aid

Improved co-ordination of transport services for patients to relevant health and social
support services

Maintain access to GPs and NHS dentists.
Older People
KEY ACTIONS

Influence the availability of transport links, to enable fulfilment of the Sustainable
Community Strategy objective to “enrich the lives of our elders” in rural areas.

Combat the social isolation of older people in rural areas.

Outreach support for people leaving hospital – the “Hospital Discharge Service”

IT for older people – digital inclusion.
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Economic Prosperity and Employment
KEY ACTIONS

Create opportunities for all by promoting sustainable economic development
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Promote training to retain rural skills
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Ensure that young people and adults in rural areas have access to training opportunities

Pursue economic development issues e.g. the retention of rural post offices
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Increase rural economic support
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Support the “Eastern Plateau” rural development programme.
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Broaden the economic base of our rural areas
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Build prosperous communities by improving the economic performance of our villages
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Consider the feasibility of rural Business Improvement Districts
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Diversify agricultural and forestry businesses
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Support sustainable farming and food production
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Ensure that everyone in the rural areas can share in the future prosperity of our district
and consider the relatively low incomes of those working in some rural occupations

Implement the Local Development Framework for North Hertfordshire
Promoting Lifelong Learning, Training and Skills Development
KEY ACTIONS

Improve participation in education, training and learning by people living in rural areas.

Closer working between North Herts College, Parish Councils and schools.
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Improve the availability of IT training for rural communities.
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Improve the availability of internet facilities within rural communities.
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Improve literacy and numeracy skills for those in rural communities.
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APPENDICES
1.
Parish Charter
This is a separate document at this time.
This version 1200 on 28 June 2010. jhb
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