Agenda item

Report No:   CAB/WS/20/008

Portfolio Holder: Cllr John Griffiths           Lead Officer: David Collinson

RESOLVED:

That:

1.       the recommendations proposed by the West Suffolk Rural Taskforce, as attached at Appendix A to Report No: CAB/WS/20/008, be adopted; and

2.       it be agreed that a report be received in six months to understand the actions that have been undertaken in respect of the Rural Taskforce’s work.

The Cabinet considered this report, which sought approval for the final recommendations of the West Suffolk Rural Taskforce.

Following its establishment in June 2019, the Rural Taskforce had undertaken a thorough review of issues facing residents, communities and businesses in more rural areas (villages and outlying dwellings (as opposed to those in more urban areas)).  This review was undertaken by firstly seeking evidence from officers on the challenges faced by different rural communities in West Suffolk, including demographic evidence, examples of good practice and national level strategic documents.  As set out in section 2 of the report, a survey was produced for residents and community groups followed by a series of workshops held in four different rural locations of the district. The outcomes of the survey and workshops enabled the Taskforce to identify the following three theme areas, which then became the focus of further work:

1.       Digital Connectivity, Access to Health and Transport

2.       Appropriate and Affordable Housing

3.       Communication, Working Together across Communities and Young People

The Chair invited Councillor Mike Chester, Chair of the West Suffolk Rural Taskforce to draw relevant issues to the attention of Cabinet.  He explained that following the above survey and workshops, for each theme area, a dedicated workshop was held with guests invited from a wide range of relevant organisations including transport and infrastructure providers, public sector partners, housing associations and community groups.  This enabled the Taskforce to focus on the specific challenges and priority areas for action.

As required by the Taskforce’s terms of reference, attached as Appendix A was the proposed action plan which had been produced to address the key elements that had arisen from the survey and workshops. In particular, Cabinet had requested that the Taskforce:

·         develops options as to how to address the key issues identified by rural communities, and

·         advises on how rural considerations can be included in future Council processes and decision making.

Councillor Chester highlighted a typographical error within the action plan, as follows:

Under the theme of Digital Connectivity, Access to Health and Transport, this had an outcome which should have stated:

Better connected rural places, where people are able to stay safe, healthy and well, build relationships and community and access skills, education and jobs.

Members commended the extensive work of the Taskforce and it was considered that the proposed recommendations and actions were sensible and achievable. It was acknowledged that the actions could be taken forward and be integrated, as far as possible, into the future work of the Council across Members’ portfolios whilst recognising that a number of actions would be led by others and therefore the Council would have an influencing and lobbying role in respect of these particular actions.

Recognition was given to the positive correlation of the proposed recommendations and actions with the three key policy framework documents of the Council, namely the West Suffolk Strategic Framework, Medium Term Financial Strategy and the development of the new West Suffolk Local Plan and welcomed the progress review in six months’ time to assess whether the Taskforce’s work was being embedded into service delivery and the specific actions were being taken forward.

RESOLVED:

That:

1.       the recommendations proposed by the West Suffolk Rural Taskforce, as attached at Appendix A to Report No: CAB/WS/20/008, be adopted; and

2.       it be agreed that a report be received in six months to understand the actions that have been undertaken in respect of the Rural Taskforce’s work.