Rural
Rural communities in the North East have an important role to play in improving the region’s economy and its quality of life.
Increasing the region’s productivity in the long-term means supporting rural areas and their communities, enabling them to make their full contribution. This cuts across all the agency’s work areas – from enterprise and economic inclusion to regeneration.
The 1999 RDAs Act set out a clear responsibility for each RDA to carry out its role in relation to rural as well as urban areas. This was enhanced in 2004 when Defra’s Rural Strategy set out increased rural delivery responsibilities for Regional Development Agencies, including the transfer of key staff and funding from the former Countryside Agency and the Rural Development Service.
Most recently, the Government’s reviews of Sub-National Economic Development and Local Government will have a big impact on development decisions in rural areas.
Our key priorities and activities are:
- Food, Farming & Fisheries
- Enterprise & Business Support
- Sustainable Communities
- Bioenergy & Forestry
- Tourism & Recreation
- The new Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE)
We play a key role in supporting rural leadership in the North East through the work of the Rural Board and the Rural Executive. We also work closely with the North East Rural Affairs Forum.
In line with the Government’s agenda on Modernising Rural Delivery (see Defra’s Rural Strategy 2004), One NorthEast is particularly supportive of experimental approaches - like Defra’s Rural Delivery Pathfinders – to improving delivery of policy and services in rural areas.
On these pages you can also find information on support for rural businesses affected by the restrictions caused by Foot and Mouth Disease and Bluetongue. Click here to find out more.
RDPE Senior Specialist Advisor
adrian.sherwood@onenortheast.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)191 229 6806
RDPE Specialist Advisor (Bioenergy)
chris.maxwell@onenortheast.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)191 229 6379
RDPE Specialist Advisor
michael.patterson@onenortheast.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)191 229 6872
RDPE Technical Advisor
christine.doherty@onenortheast.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)191 229 6493
ERDP Programme Delivery Specialist Advisor
tuppy.kearse@onenortheast.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)191 229 6541
ERDP Partnership Specialist Advisor
sarah.burke@onenortheast.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1642 853616
Farming and Food Specialist Advisor
richard.hutchinson@onenortheast.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)191 229 6408
Market Towns & Services Specialist Advisor
kirsten.francis@onenortheast.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)191 229 6646
Countryside Agency / Grant Enquiries
dawn.shiel@onenortheast.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)191 229 6369
Rural Policy and Market Towns
kirsten.young@onenortheast.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)191 229 6611
Rural Action Plan (pdf)
(2.80 MB)
The Rural Action Plan identifies the 10 priority areas for action that will make the most difference over the next 3 - 5 years, and so bring about a lasting revival of the Region`s rural economy.
