The Lancashire Rural Affairs Forum

Introduction

The Lancashire Rural Partnership (LRP) was formed in 2001 to bring together organisations and individuals in Lancashire with a responsibility and a direct interest in rural affairs. The Partnership took forward the development and implementation of the Lancashire Rural Recovery Action Plan (LRRAP) through the LRRAP Programme Management Committee (PMC). The LRP and its component parts have renewed themselves to remain relevant and in early 2005 the LRP became the Lancashire Rural Affairs Forum. The LRP Steering Group has been replaced by the Lancashire Rural Development Board (LRDB). The Board is intended to draw in a small number of people with an interest and influence in rural Lancashire.

The Action Plan vision statement provides a focal point for what the LRP wanted to achieve in Lancashire:

"A dynamic rural economy for Lancashire which is financially, socially and environmentally sustainable."

By bringing together stakeholders from across Lancashire, the LRBD has taken on the voice of the LRP, aming to provide the following:

Voice - a vehicle through which Lancashire can articulate clear priorities at a national, regional and local level, avoiding fragmentation, duplication and intra-competitiveness.
Policy coordination and development - enabling and influencing a more coherent application of existing policy in rural areas and providing a vehicle for new, fresh thinking on policy development.
Programming and resources - to provide the executive vehicle that can manage the programming of mainstream public resources designed to support rural areas and rural development. This will include measures to improve the efficiency and impact of existing resources.
Accountability - to be transparent and provide opportunities for contributions from the wider rural constituency.