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Partnerships for Sustainable rural-urban development: existing evidences – Staffordshire, UK

Councillor Philip Atkins – Leader, Staffordshire County Council

Staffordshire

Population of 831,300

80% rural by area

25% population rural

Peri urban, in that it is influenced by both the Greater Manchester and Birmingham conurbations

Lead for the West Midlands for Peri Urban Regions Platform Europe.

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP – established in October 2010. Partnership led by businesses and local authorities across natural economic area

Aim to create the conditions to increase private sector jobs and sustainable economic growth across the LEP area

LEP invited to submit ‘City Deal’ to devolve powers in exchange for responsibility for delivering growth locally

• 50/50/10: 50% increase in GVA and 50,000 jobs created over 10 years

• Provision of sites, energy offer, infrastructure investment, skills, R&D,

culture/sport offer

The Rural Enterprise Academy

Meets identified need to train young people for careers in land-based, rural and environmental sustainability sectors

Sponsored by South Staffordshire College, Veolia and National Farmers Union

Catchment of students from Staffordshire and surrounding areas

Opportunities for students to access a range of facilities and gain first hand experience of work and skills development

Forest of Mercia Community Forest Partnership

Located in a peri-urban environment, covers 92 sq/m across districts of Cannock, Lichfield, South Staffordshire and Walsall in the Black Country

Mixture of habitats including hedgerows, farmland, wetland, grasslands, and wooded areas. Large area classed as brownfield land due to mining legacy

Three key aims to improve the environment, regenerate communities and enhance quality of life

Central Rivers Initiative

Located in the Trent and Tame River Valleys, between urban centres of Burton and Tamworth

Statutory and third sector organisations working with private sector aggregate companies

Restoration of quarries into a sustainable network of wildlife habitats, public amenities and agricultural land

Development of the National Memorial Arboretum

Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Local Nature Partnership

Aims to drive positive change in our local natural environment

Close working with other strategic partnerships on social and economic outcomes – includes Local Enterprise Partnership (shared boundaries)

Develop bids and disperse funding

Ecosystem Services assessment (Staffordshire County Council, Stoke City Council, Natural England)