For my own part, I would have liked to have seen the appointment of someone at Ministerial level to promote the needs of the uplands in the long-term. Many of the other good ideas that came out of last year's CRC Report do not appear to have found favour.
At first sight, this review focuses on the provision of broadband, and while this is important and will be very welcome, broadband on its own will not meet the needs of the upland communities. It is like suggesting that diversification will solve everyone's problems - so much depends on other factors.
Defra News Release
Defra website
Defra Uplands Policy Review - document
Farmer's Weekly commenting on CLA response
What do you think? The comment facility is awaiting your words!
Other than the money for broadband, which is not solely for upland, but for all rural communities there is little that is new in this statement and, as far as I can see no real new money is being targeted in the uplands. This is not surprising given Defra's financial settlement with the Treasury. The statement does, however clarify Defra's intended direction of travel to "develop affordable measures to support upland communities" - without promising any new money! How closely it sticks to that direction pre and post the oncoming CAP reform, and how much stakeholders hold Defra to account remains to be seen. The danger is that once fuss has died down this review will quietly be forgotten.
ReplyDelete