Rural Scotland People, Prosperity and Partnership

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The First Year's Action Programme

We summarise here the steps we plan to take in the first year following publication of the White Paper.

The Government's Policies for the Rural Communities of Scotland

We will work in partnership and within the objectives of sustainable development to enable rural Scotland to be:

• economically prosperous, with a range of job opportunities which will enable those who live in rural communities, native or newcomer, to enjoy worthwhile ways of life.

• vigorous in its community life supported by good local infrastructure and quality services.

• culturally confident, cherishing local traditions and distinctive ways of life, and able to adapt to and benefit from changing circumstances.

• able to protect, conserve and enhance its outstanding natural environment.

THE SCOTTISH RURAL PARTNERSHIP

Scottish Local Rural Partnerships

We will encourage and assist the establishment of Local Rural Partnerships drawn from the most relevant local interests, providing a basis for making local input to decisions affecting local areas.

The Scottish National Rural Partnership

We will establish a national body, building on the success of the Rural Focus Group, and providing coordination of national action to match that undertaken by the Local Rural Partnerships.

The Scottish Rural Partnership Fund

We will establish the fund which will use a challenge funding approach to provide resources to support the new groups, contributing to the costs of servicing them, assisting the employment of community development agents, contributing to the funding of consultancies and filling gaps not covered by the wide range of existing support.

Guidance on the Scottish Rural Partnership

We will publish guidance on the operation of local partnerships and the new Rural Partnership Fund. This will be part of the overall support we intend to give to the establishment of the Scottish Rural Partnership system.

Scottish Rural Partnership on the Internet

We will be exploring the benefits which the superhighway can bring to rural communities through increasing use of the Internet and World Wide Web.

The Rural Charter Checklist

Within the framework of the Citizen's Charter, we will ask the Scottish National Rural Partnership to consult on and prepare a Rural Services Charter Checklist for Scotland which will assist service providers to assess whether they are meeting the needs of rural people and make changes to improve rural services.

PROGRESS SINCE FRAMEWORK

Rural Framework: A Progress Report

The work of the Rural Focus Group is described in "Rural Framework: A Progress Report" which is published simultaneously with the White Paper.

Reporting the Consultations

Rural Forum organised the consultation exercise across Scotland. Its report on the consultation and the many helpful and interesting things said in that process is published as "The White Paper Consultation: the Rural Forum Report".

RURAL LIFE

Scottish Rural Life 1995

A new edition of Scottish Rural Life will be published incorporating information drawn from the 1991 Census.

"Living in Rural Scotland"

We will publish the report commissioned on rural services.

Access to Information and Advice

We will publish the results of research on how access to information and advice might be improved. Tayside Regional Council's booklet on rural grants, which was sponsored by the Scottish Agricultural College, will be extended to cover the whole of rural Scotland, with assistance from The Scottish Office.

Change in Small Schools

We will fund new research on "The Management of Change, including Devolved School Management, in Small Primary Schools".

Rural Crime

We will mount a study of crime in rural areas and its effect on local people.

PROSPECTS FOR PROSPERITY

Keeping the Shop Open

We intend to bring forward a scheme to reduce the burden of rates on the village shop which is providing a service to isolated communities.

A Rural Business Use Class

In order to ensure that the planning system continues to play its full part in business development we intend to include proposals for a Rural Business Use Class in the consultation on the Use Classes Order.

Rural Business Units

We are considering the case that commercial activities associated with a rural estate whose predominant activity is husbandry should be assessed as a single trading unit for income tax, capital gains tax and inheritance tax purposes.

Opening Up Rural Opportunities

We will produce guidance on rural development intended to encourage positive provision for employment and community purposes using the development plan and control systems. We will also issue guidance on planning for small towns in rural areas covering.

Planning Careers

We are planning a conference on the issues and problems facing rural careers offices in Scotland. It will involve careers service staff from rural areas, local enterprise companies and others and offer the opportunity to share good practice, to identify and address problem areas and explore possible solutions.

Rural Water and Sewerage Grants

In place of the previous grant schemes, we have placed on the new Water Authorities a specific duty to have regard especially to the interests of rural customer and we will take account of this duty in providing resources to the Authorities. Thus the interests of rural customers will be central to the arrangements for service provision put in place by the authorities. We will review the effectiveness of these arrangements after the first year of operation.

Collection of Commercial Waste

We intend to identify examples of good practice in dealing with the particular problems of commercial waste collection in small towns and villages. This will be published as guidance for the new local councils.

SCOTLAND'S WORKING LANDSCAPE

The Review of Designations

We will review natural heritage designations with a view to simplification and de-regulation consistent with over-arching nature conservation objectives.

Indicative Forestry Strategies

We will review the Indicative Forestry Strategies produced under the 1990 guidance with a view to increasing their usefulness.

"Scotland's Coast"

We will publish a discussion paper on coastal issues which will set out proposals for improving present management, building on the successful approaches already being used in parts of Scotland based on the voluntary principle and partnership working.

Native Woods Management

The Forestry Commission will build on its partnerships within a wider programme to encourage management of native woods, including the establishment of a broadleaved marketing development group to help woodland owners realise the economic potential of their woods.

Community Participation in Forest Management

We will consider how to increase the scope for local community participation in forest management, in the light of research commissioned by the Forestry Commission and taking account of the points raised in the FAPIRA discussion document.

The Scottish House

We wish to see a new standard of rural housing design emerge as a defining symbol for a new and vibrant rural Scotland and have asked for a report on what might be possible. The Enterprise network will consider how best to further encourage the production, use and marketing of traditional materials for new building.