Aim of the forum
The North East Rural Affairs Forum aims to speak up for rural communities and influence the delivery and development or rural policy in the North East.
Objectives of the forum
To have a positive impact on rural delivery by contributing to the rural proofing and influencing the development of, regional and national policies by the forum:
- acting as a sounding board for Government Office and its key delivery partners, ensuring an appropriate consideration of rural needs and interests is taken into account at the design stage of policies and strategies
- contributing to the development and monitoring of the regional rural delivery framework, assessing its effectiveness and scrutinising selected activities and organisations
- drawing on its assessment of delivery and opinions gathered from local communities, feedback customers views on Government Office and it's partners' rural delivery activities and speak out for rural communities
- knowing or identifying the particular characteristics and needs of north east rural communities by initiating research and influencing the research programmes of Government Office and its partners
- contributing to the development of an evidence-based understanding of the key issues facing the rural areas of the north east and rural England more widely, by contributing to studies (for example Commission for Rural Communities) and responding to regional and national consultations.
To be the recognised rural voice of the region by the forum:
- regularly bringing together a group of individuals selected because of their experiences of and links with a variety of rural interests, issues and service delivery
- developing a productive dialogue between forum members and drawing on their delivery contacts within wider rural social and business communities
- representing the region's rural interests to the principal policy and delivery agencies affecting rural life in the region, including government departments, Government Office for the North East, the Commission for Rural Communities, Natural England, One North East, North East Assembly and others.
