Corporate Services Cabinet Member and Regeneration, Marketing and Strategic Finance Cabinet Member – Minutes – 11 January 2010

2 (2) RURAL PARTNERSHIP CAPACITY BUILDING POST – The Service Director Community Planning and Resources submitted an urgent report seeking approval for the establishment of a post to link Local Strategic Partnership and corporate aims more effectively with the Humber Rural Partnership and with Regional Development Agency and Government Office priorities for the region.

Half of the population of North Lincolnshire lived in rural areas but resource constraints mean that there was limited provision for engagement and development in North Lincolnshire. This had meant lost opportunities for rural communities in North Lincolnshire to benefit from external funding programmes and to participate in the delivery of regional rural programmes.

There was a need to support local rural partnerships and represent their interests to ensure their priorities were aligned to, and consistent with, Rural City Region aspirations, and to link with complementary programmes such as LEADER, the Yorkshire Forward Access to Opportunities Programme and local investment priorities such as South Humber Bank and Lincolnshire Lakes.

A post of Rural Partnership Capacity Building would increase the rural focus in North Lincolnshire and help to reduce urban/rural inequalities and address issues of urban/rural interdependence. The post would be funded by Yorkshire Forward through the Access to Opportunities Programme initially on a fixed-term contract until March 2012 and extended subject to external funding being secured.

The decision was urgent as the recruitment process had been delayed due to prolonged contractual negotiations.

Resolved – That approval be given for the creation of the Rural Partnership Capacity Building Post, grade 8, on a fixed-term contract until March 2012 and extended subject to external funding being secured