Archived News

EERF Newsletter Edition 6

Edition 6 of the EERF newsletter was produced in March 2008 and includes feedback from the Rural Affairs Forum Chairs’ meeting with the Rural Minister.

EERF Conference: 'Affordable and Zero Carbon Homes in Rural Areas - can they be delivered?'

The East of England Rural Forum's Annual Conference is taking place on 5th March 2008 at the Holiday Inn, Thorpe Wood, Peterborough.  The theme is 'Affordable and Zero Carbon Homes in Rural Areas - can they be delivered?'. 

To book your place at the conference, which is free to attend, please complete the booking form and either email it to Eerfconference2008@goeast.gsi.gov.uk or alternatively return it by post to the following address:

EERF Conference 2008
Climate Change Team
GO East
Eastbrook
Shaftesbury Road
Cambridge
CB2  8DF

Please circulate this invitation and details to your networks.

Date of next meeting -12th March 2008.

The next EERF meeting will take place on 12th March 2008 - please note the change of date.  The meeting will focus on 'Influencing Strategies' and will also be the EERF's AGM.  Elections for the positions of Chair and Vice-Chairs will take place at the meeting'.

Rural Development Programme for England

Rural businesses and communities across the East of England are encouraged to consider business and community development opportunities that are now available from the £65 million investment fund which is ‘open for business’ from 1st January 2008.  Further details are available on the Defra website and on the EEDA website.

EERF Newsletter

John Yates has produced the latest East of England Rural Forum newsletter, which includes the forward work plan for the EERF for 2008/09 and information about the annual conference.

EERF Meeting 12 December 2007

The last EERF meeting took place on 12 December 2007 at the Assembly Rooms in Swaffham.  The meeting followed a new format, including a thematic agenda and site visit as well as a workshop session to encourage participation from all Members. Feedback on the format of the day has been sought from those that attended.  Comments should be emailed to the Secretariat.

Regional Rural Delivery Framework Annual Report

The Regional Rural Delivery Framework Steering Group has produced an annual report.  A Task Group of EERF Members met.  The Task Group found that the information in the annual report is not measurable and does not identify gaps or overlaps in delivery.  The outcome of this is that the delivery partners have undertaken to reformat the annual report.  The EERF Task Group will be reconvened to comment on the revised annual report. 

Bluetongue and Foot and Mouth Disease

Information about Bluetongue and Foot and Mouth Disease can be found on the Defra website.  John Yates is keen to keep up to date on the impact that these diseases are having on the area, so if you have any feedback please email the Secretariat. 

Year of Food and Farming

The Year of Food and Farming was launched within the region at Wimpole Farm on 19 September 2007.  Since then each individual county group in the East of England has undertaken a great deal activity to promote the initiative.

In Norfolk a 'Glorious Food' event was held in Norwich.  Organised by the Healthy Norfolk Schools Group, 90 primary schools attended and participated in bakery demonstrations - along with sausage making and food identifying games.

In Essex, 3000 pupils have now registered for the Essex School Food and Farming Day, to be held on 1 May 2008 at Writtle College in Chelmsford.  Children will be invited to see cookery demonstrations and food tasting using healthy local produce, along with further demonstrations on milling wheat to make flour, dairy cow milking and goats cheese and ice cream making.

The Year of Food and Farming is an industry-led initiative that aims to reconnect children, their parents and teachers with where their food comes from, how it is produced and how it impacts on the countryside around them.

For details of the initiative, and other county group activities, visit our regional page on the website

‘New Challenges - the Action for Market Towns National Convention’ – Book your Place

The tenth Action for Market Towns Annual Convention is taking place in the East of England on 26th and 27th September 2007.

Speakers at this prestigious event, being held at Tattersalls in Newmarket, include journalist Rosie Boycott; DIY expert Tommy Walsh; and East of England Rural Forum Chair, John Yates.

For further information, and to book your place at what promises to be an exciting event, please take a look at the flyer and booking form.

EERF Newsletter

John Yates has produced the second East of England Rural Forum newsletter, which includes an update following the June Forum meeting as well as a forward look. 

These newsletters are aimed at keeping Members and other stakeholders informed between Forum meetings and will be produced each quarter

GO East News

Government Office for the East of England has just published the latest edition of GO East News, which tries to break the mould of worthy-but-dull Government publications.  There's a section on the Year of Food and Farming.  It includes a piece on the CLA's 'Just Ask' campaign and the NFU's 'Why Farming Matters'.  David Miliband's speech on the way we use land, which he delivered at CPRE's 80th Anniversary Conference, is featured.  The newsletter also has articles on the Suffolk Kickstart project; the creation of Communities England and a scheme to improve accessibility at smaller railway stations.

Traveller Needs in the East of England

Rural Forum member John Day has written a briefing paper on traveller needs in the East of England. It will help people make informed contributions to the review of the Regional Spatial Strategy.

New Bite for Rural Watchdog

On the first day of spring, members of the East of England Rural Forum elected a new leadership team. Glorious sunshine and parkland daffodils created a magnificent backdrop for their AGM, held at the National Trust's Ickworth house near Bury St Edmunds.
EERF Bulletin - AGM Elections

Modernising the Rural Economy.  Conference Report

On March 1st, the Rural Forum held its annual conference at Chilford Hall.  This year, we looked at the shape of the rural economy and how consumers can be encouraged to make sustainable choices.  Stuart Burgess, the Rural Advocate, gave an introductory speech and was followed by some thought-provoking slides by Jason Borthwick and Tim Heaps.  The Regional Economic Strategy review process is now underway, so we were delighted that Angela Francis and Francesca Morris from EEDA, with their consultant Helen Chalmers, took the rural constituencies' view to the heart of the review.
Modernising the Rural Economy

Regional Cities:Regional Towns.  Conference Report

Delegates gathered at Abington Hall Conference Centre on 7th November to explore the interdependencies between 'Regional Cities' and 'Regional Towns'.  With more than 230 market towns in the region,delegates had much to talk about...

Regional Cities:Regional Towns Conference Report
Presentations by: John Mills - Brian Stewart - Richard Ellis

Welcome to New Members

New Members to the Rural Forum were welcomed at Ickworth House on 21st March. They include: Julia Nix; Pat Holtom; John Carrick; Michael Hargreaves; Kate Belinis and Corinne Meakins.

Rural Delivery Framework. First Action Statements added by Partners

Regional delivery Partners, including the new Natural England, have set out their ideas and ways of working so they support rural priorities in the East of England. East of England Rural Delivery Framework

Challenging Government to Meet Rural Needs

The Commission for Rural Communities has launched its 2006 rural proofing report. The report draws on independent evidence from those who make and deliver policy throughout central government departments and the Government Offices for the Regions.

Challenging Government to meet rural needs: Rural Proofing Monitoring report 200

Rural Pathfinder: Update from the Fens

The Fens Pathfinder is a project being run across local authority boundaries. It investigates common approaches to rural environment and service issues. It explores ways of working that may be shared by different organisations. David Rothe, the Pathfinder Project Manager, has provided an update on progress to date. Fens Rural Pathfinder Update

Market Towns Awards 2006

The East of England Market Town Award ceremony, sponsored by EEDA and the East of England Rural Forum, was held at Chilford Hall near Cambridge. To read the full story, click the link below. East of England Market Town Awards 2006

The State of the Regional Economy

The East of England Rural Forum has been invited to contribute an 'expert view' to EEDA's Regional Economic Strategy (RES) Monitoring Report. The RES has eight goals, including action to improve skills, enterprise and innovation whilst tackling social exclusion problems and taking sustainable development into account. The Forum has been asked to comment on the theme of 'Urban and Rural Vitality'.

EEDA has an ongoing role to monitor the regional economy. This work helps it develop an evidence base for economic development priorities. As part of its work, EEDA will publish its RES Monitoring Report called "The State of the Regional Economy", in autumn 2006. The RES Review process will begin in earnest in 2007. The Forum will work with EEDA to ensure the Regional Economic Strategy remains fit for purpose in the future.Local Food is Miles Better

How far has your food travelled to reach your plate? The aim of the Local Food is Miles Better campaign, led by Farmers Weekly magazine, is to raise awareness of the issue of food miles and the benefits to the consumer of buying local produce. For more information please visit the Go-East website

Affordable Rural Housing Commission Publishes its Final Report

The Affordable Rural Housing Commission was launched in July 2005 to identify ways of improving access to affordable housing for people in rural areas.

The Affordable Rural Housing Commission has now published its final report, which sets out the Commission's recommendations to address this issue.

Affordable Rural Housing Commission Final Report

Regional Implementation Plan Rural Development Programme for England

EEDA, the Natural England confederation and the Forestry Commission are jointly developing a single Regional Implementation Plan which sets out the priorities and key outcomes that will drive Defra's funding support for farming, rural businesses, rural communities and the countryside over the next seven years.

The Forum hosted a series of consultation events across the region, which provided an opportunity for Forum Members and regional rural stakeholders to give their views on the priorities identified in the Plan.

For more information, click here.

Registering your land with Land Registry

Land Registry, the Government department responsible for maintaining and developing the register of title to freehold and leasehold land in England and Wales, has launched a campaign to register all land in England and Wales. There is currently a 25 per cent discount on registration fees for all voluntary first registrations.

Registering your land with Land Registry entitles you to some immediate benefits:

• Title guaranteed by the state
• Protection under the Land Registration Act 2002 against encroachment
• Comprehensive documentation, including plans based on the latest Ordnance Survey maps
• Easy access to up-to-date, official records via the internet

For further information on voluntary registration please visit the Land Registry website