Yorkshire and The Humber Rural Observatory
Yorkshire and The Humber Rural Observatory
The Y&H Rural Observatory, the regional rural intelligence network, reconvened in July. The feature item was on Defra’s ’Environmental Accounts for Agriculture’, which attaches monetary values to agri-environmental impacts to facilitate their comparison. Other agenda items included Sub-National Review research opportunities and Defra’s strategic objective on Strong Rural Communities. For further information see the Rural Observatory website and 15th July minutes which includes member details and presentation links.
2008 Y&H Rural Evidence Base
One of the key areas of activity for the Observatory is to produce an annual regional rural evidence base (following the first edition in 2005). The 2008 version, being prepared for publication in December, will differ by using the indicators proposed for the new Integrated Regional Framework. This aligns with other evidence based reports such as 'Progress in York and North Yorkshire 2008'. The completed 2008 report will be circulated via Rural Matters, whilst the 2007 report is available here.
Defra’s Strong Rural Communities Objective:
Defra have recently published a national report tracking the status of indicators attached to their ‘Strong Rural Communities’ Departmental Strategic Objective, available here. This Objective is concerned with achieving two outcomes; that evidenced needs of rural people and communities are addressed through mainstream public policy and delivery, and that economic growth is supported in rural areas with the lowest levels of performance. Data for Y&H has been requested in order to produce a regional version.
Wider Evidenced-Based reports
Finally, a selection of recent evidence based reports may be of interest:
- Framework 4 Change: Five Years On 'Looking back & looking forward: A review of farming
- Impacts of the summer 2007 floods on agriculture (prepared by ADAS for Defra)
- Ofcom; 'The Communications Market 2008: Nations and Regions’
- CRC report on rural deprivation which builds on CLG report
- CRC report on rural economic potential which was commissioned by the Prime Minister.
anna.knight@goyh.gsi.gov.uk |
