leicestershire & rutland association of local councils jake atkinson lralc chief officer parish...

Leicestershire & RutlandAssociation of Local Councils

Jake Atkinson

LRALC Chief Officer

Parish Councils Rural Survey


Leicestershire Rural Partnership

Serving rural communities for 20 years:• Deliver rural projects which fill gaps in

mainstream provision• Influence others to ensure they consider rural

within their policies, strategies and actions• Listen, facilitate joint working, advise and

lobby


Who?• LCC cabinet lead (Chairman)• Districts (tbc, Melton Chief Executive)• Leicestershire and Rutland Association for Local Councils• Rural Community Council• Voluntary Community Sector (Community Transport)• Federation for Small Business• Country Land and Business Association• National Farmers Union• Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership• National Forest Company• Independent Business Representative• Leicestershire Promotions Ltd


What? The BIG 7!!• Active, inclusive & empowered Parish Councils &

meetings• Sustainable growth, high quality employment

opportunities & increased vocational training in rural priority sectors (land-based, F&D, tourism, creative & knowledge-based)

• Increased availability of affordable homes• Retain good access to essential village services &

facilities• Broadband• Effective and integrated public & community transport

(innovative travel solutions)• Communities & businesses reducing their carbon

footprint


Background to the Survey

• Commissioned by LRP to undertake research with parish councils around rural priorities

• Supporting parish councils came out as a high priority at the LT challenge workshops.

• Aim:– to maximise data availability for future LRP outcomes; – to develop robust evidence based on the needs of

these councils in addressing rural issues;– to improve engagement with PCs


Methodology

• Conducted survey in early 2013.

• Survey was available on-line and by hard copy

• Completed (in full or part) by 53 Local Council or Parish Meeting representatives


Some statistics

• Councils from Harborough and Charnwood had the highest response rate, with NW Leics and Melton the lowest.

• Majority of councils responding had electorates of 1001 or less.

• 57% of surveys were completed by the Clerk to the Council


Rural Issues – A priority?

• 92.4% said rural issues were a priority for their Council. Reasons included:

The parish is a small but active rural community and we are trying to keep it that way

The parish has few transport links and few facilities We feel the villages rural character is under threat There is still a farming community The digital age means rural communities are being

left behind when broadband speeds are so low. A key current objective is the implementation of the

refurbishment project at [the] Community Centre which will include a community coffee shop and meeting point


Rural Issues & the role of PCs

What do you believe is the role of parish and town councils in addressing rural issues?

05

1015202530354045

Direct provision offacilities/services

Providing funds tosupport the

provision of localfacilities/services

Lobbying highertiers of local

government andothers

Working with thevoluntary sector

and otherpartnerships (e.g.

the LRP) tosupport their rural

work

No role to play Not sure Other


Partnerships

• Councils primarily work with:– their District/Borough Council and LRALC,

followed closely by the Rural Community Council and Leicestershire County Council.

• A far smaller number of Councils already work with the LRP and VAL.


Partnerships

Which organisations, groups and/or partnerships does your council work with to support its work around rural issues?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

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Leic

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Rur

alC

omm

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Dis

trict

/Bor

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Vol

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Not

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Localism

• Government sees local councils as having a key role to play in delivering localism (Eric Pickles: “Localism’s magic wand”).

• Localism Act 2011 gives PCs specific powers they can use to address local issues.

• Most powerful of these is the General Power of Competence (GPoC).

• 53% of respondents indicated that they may use GPoC to address rural issues in the future


Localism – GPoC & Rural Issues

Does your council plan to use the General Power of Competence to address rural issues?

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Yes No Not at present but may do inthe future

Don’t know


Localism - Influence & Impact

Will the Localism Act (and the wider Localism agenda) allow your Parish Council to have more, less, or the same influence and impact when addressing rural issues?

0

5

10

15

20

25

More Less Same Don’t know


Countywide Priorities

• 38% of respondents were not sure whether their PC has a role to play in delivering county-wide strategic priorities.

• 30% considered PCs do have a role to play

• 32% consider PCs have no role to play


Countywide Priorities - Comments

We have an important role to play as the nearest level of local government

We are small and do not have the facilities Mainly time constraints Limited admin/Clerk support Councillors choice - mainly focus on issues that directly

benefit [the parish] We would like to if we knew precisely how to go about it! We have not been active in these areas and have little

knowledge of them Keeping heads above water is taxing. If LRP told us

what they thought we could do it would be easier to engage


LRP Resources

Which of the following LRP resources/activities has your Council used?

4

8

2 13 4 3

0

10 10

28

0

5

10

15

20

25

30


LRP Resources

• Why do you not currently engage, what might change this;

Lack of knowledge, lack of capacity Time mainly The activities do not seem to have particular

relevance to a very small parish More information on what the LRP is about The language used to describe them is often hard to

translate to parish level Lack of capacity and other priorities - would need to

see real benefit to the Parish Council We have not had particular issues where we

perceived that LRP could assist.


LRP Priorities (average score, descending order)


Recommendations• The creation of a “Parish Council Development

Fund”, to help build capability and knowledge to address rural issues in their areas; or

• Establish a Parish Council pilot scheme to look at innovative ways of addressing rural issues with an emphasis on one or more of the LRP priorities and / or areas of need identified in this report.

• The delivery of a one-day free “Rurality and Localism: Supporting Parish Councils” training day.


Recommendations

• Ongoing training/support (including sharing of case studies) for PCs in use of powers available to PCs under the Localism Act.

• Presentation on LRP Rural Framework & Priorities at each District PC liaison event.

• When reviewing/renewing LRP priorities ensure there is targeted consultation (including facilitated presentations) with PCs to feed into the setting of these priorities.


Recommendations

• Promote & encourage use of volunteers to increase capacity within PCs to address rural issues within their parish; explore linkages with local community coaches.

• Focussed LRALC activity around the 2015 PC elections to increase the number and range of candidates putting themselves forward to be parish councillors; link to communities in charge/taking charge.

• Jargon buster/plain English guide to explain Leicestershire structures and priorities including delivery organisations and how they can support/benefit PCs.


Recommendations

• Parish Councils to register on the LRP website (www.oakleaves.org.uk) to receive regular updates on LRP activity including services that can support / benefit PCs.

• The development of a parish council page on the LRP Oakleaves website, compiling useful information and links to assist PCs in their rural activities.


Next Steps

• Full draft report to be circulated to LRP Board shortly, followed by wide circulation.

• Consideration of report and recommendations at future LRP meeting

• Funding proposals to access additional LRP funds to support delivery of recommended actions drafted and submitted.


Feedback please!• Do the survey results reflect your

professional views and experience/the views of your council?

• Do you feel the recommendations are appropriate and would benefit your council and its parishioners?

• Any other comments about how we can improve the engagement of PCs with the LRP and its services, projects, & events?

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