The 2005 National Rural Affairs Conference
24/25 February
Castle Green Hotel Kendal
Pre Conference Forum
PROGRAMME
Decentralised Rural Services
Thursday 24th February
9.00 Arrival and RegistrationThe Function House
9.30 Pre Conference Forum The Oak Room
Innovations in Decentralised Rural Services: European perspectives, drawing on experiences from France, Germany and Italy
The objective of the Pre-Conference Forum is to explore common issues of interest to develop international cooperation between British delegates and the presenters of international public service innovations. The Forum will be based on three interactive sessions, including an introductory round, a mapping exercise to identify common challenges and group work to identify what British delegates can learn from the international case studies and vice versa.
Facilitators: Tony Bovaird/Elke Löffler/Pietro Michele
10.30 RefreshmentsThe Training Centre
Forum continued and Conclusions
(The European Perspective continues again at 5.30- not to be missed!)
National Rural Affairs Conference
Thursday 24 February
12.00 Arrival and Registration
(for those not attending Pre Conference Forum)
12.30 Buffet LunchThe Function House
Session 1The Function House
Chairman: John Mills, Director of Rural Policy, DEFRA
Introduction
Welcome
Housekeeping
Outline and purpose of the Conference
National Perspective: Chairman: John Mills
Director of Rural Policy, DEFRA
Local Perspective: Cllr Tim Stoddard
Leader, Cumbria County Council
Lessons from Europe: Tony Bovaird
Governance International
Questions to the Presenters
Rural Evidence – The Future of Rural Services:
Prof Malcolm Moseley, (University of Gloucestershire)
Questions
RefreshmentsThe Function House
Session 2
Chairman: Tim Stoddard
Leader, Cumbria County Council
Introduction and purpose of the session
Case study presentations:
1. / Co-location/post offices / Sue Huggins (General Manager – Rural Network, Post Office Ltd)2. / Social Inclusion / Sue Place (The Balsam Project)
3. / Role of Social Enterprise / Gill Withers (TackleyVillage all-in-one centre)
Workshops
breakout groups to consider key issues in relation to rural services
from the perspective of :
1A Children and young people The Board Room
1B Adults, particularly those suffering from The Garden Room
deprivation
1C Older people The Woodlands Room
1D Voluntary sector provision(x2 groups) The Oak Room
1E Public sector provision(x2 groups) The Function House
1F Private sector provision (x2 groups) The Function House
Close
International and National Workshops
2G Defra’s Rural Evidence Research Centre: The Oak Room
Prof John Shepherd, BirkbeckCollege
2H New approaches to childcare and improving opportunities for
women in the county of Bad Kissingen, Germany
Andrea SchneiderThe Bindloss Room
2I A decentralised approach to waste management in the
Province of Siena, Italy
Pietro Michele
The Woodlands Room
2J Improving the quality of life of the elderly in the French county of
Sâone-et-Loire, France
Nicolas PerretteThe Garden Room
Made in Cumbria Conference DinnerThe Function House
Informal Bar opens 7.45
Shuttle Bus
To Riverside, Stonecross Manor and Crooklands Hotels
(stopping /collecting by arrangement with the driver en route)
will run every 30 minutes from 5.30 -.7-00.Please let our Reception Staff know your intentions.
Returning to Castle Green starting from hotels at 7.00 every 30 minutes
After Dinner running back to hotels from 10.00-11.00.
Friday 25th February
Session 3The Function House
Chairman: Reverend Alan Chesters
Chairman, North West Rural Affairs Forum
Introduction to session
Feedback from Workshops:Stephen Greenhalgh
Head of Community (Cumbria County Council)
Keynote speech: The Rt. Hon Alun Michael,
Minister of State for Rural Affairs & Local Environmental Quality
Rural Service Delivery in Cumbria:Cllr Tim Stoddard
Leader, Cumbria County Council
Rural Pathfinders in the SE: Merrick Denton-Thompson
Head of Countryside Service, Hampshire County Council
Better Rural Delivery:
The Regional Dimension David Marlow
Chief Executive
East of England Development Agency
The Commission for Rural
Communities/Tackling Rural Disadvantage Dr Stuart Burgess
Chairman
Countryside Agency
Refreshments
(Postcards on tables, please submit questions for plenary session)
Plenary SessionThe Function House
Discussion of morning speeches
Chairman: Cllr Tim Stoddard
Panel Members: The Rt Hon Alun Michael MP, Dr Stuart Burgess, Rev Alan Chesters, Tony Bovaird and David Marlow
Closing remarks –The Rt Hon Alun Michael MP and Cllr Tim Stoddard
Buffet lunch and depart