West Durham MRD Pathfinder established to support rural delivery in West Durham
Shared understanding of the pathfinder programme & its aims
Commitment & support for what the West Durham Rural Pathfinder is trying to achieve
Links to other initiatives established – Local Area Agreements; Modernising Rural Delivery; and Rural Excellence Mentoring Scheme
Links to other Rural Delivery Pathfinders established
Getting people together that wouldn’t otherwise come together, and improving communications – Regional/ Sub Regional/ Local/ Public/ Private/ VCS through:
Steering Group
Former Task Groups
Events, i.e. NRN Knowledge Economy Event Dec 05; Case Study Event May 06; Transport Event June 06; Best Practice Event Sept 06
Case Study Action Learning Set
All parties have better understanding of other agencies pressures
Improved relationships between regional, sub-regional and local partners
Communities engaged with WDRP through LSPs/ Community Networks; WDRP Task Groups; WDRP Case Studies; WDRP workshops and events, e.g. SQW event 28 June 05; Case Study event 25 May 06; Transport Case Study event 28 June 06.
The Wear Valley & Teesdale LSPs are now working in a more joined up way. Having a Rural Delivery Pathfinder in West Durham has been one of the influential factors in encouraging more joined up working across the two dales.
Broadband mapping exercise for West Durham
Getting mapping to provide a starting point and set the foundations for developing the Knowledge Economy
If the mapping is successful in West Durham, CDEP has agreed to commission similar work across the rest of the county – potential benefits for whole of County Durham
Broadband Advisory Group established - “experts” to come together that otherwise wouldn’t, to share their experience, knowledge, lessons learned, and good practice and ensure maximum benefit is gained from the mapping exercise
Learning from the previous lessons in Northumberland
Initiated a number of Case Studies:
Eastgate – provide more joined up support to businesses around Eastgate Site Development;
Transport – strengthening young people’s voice and influence, building on previous good practice;
Assets – bringing together neighbourhood profiling and asset mapping, and testing community perceptions against evidence
Learning from Case Studies – as above, plus:
Established Case Study Action Learning set
Brings together people that wouldn’t otherwise come together to share their experiences, good practice, lessons, and help each other resolve issues through an Action Learning set. Community rep actively involved in this group
To feedback key messages to WDRP Steering Group
Promoting Best Practice
ONE commissioned research on In-migration. West Durham was included as a special rural case study area within this research.
Durham Dales brand being tested by Wear Valley District Council. Results will be fed into the now established Area Tourism Partnership for their consideration.
The Rural Pathfinder provides a link between local and national. When John Mills visited WDRP in October 2005, we showcased TVHC as an example of good practice. DEFRA picked up on this, and the rural minister used it in a speech a few weeks later.
Devised and implemented a new approach (Case Studies), when the original one (Task Groups) wasn’t progressing as planned and was no longer felt to be most appropriate.
