Table Of Content

Foreword In1992,ruralScotlandistakingitsrightfulplaceinEurope.Its naturalheritageiswell-known,thelandscape,thecountryside,the environmentareallfeatureswhicharefamiliaracrosstheworld.Butso too,increasingly,aretheproductsofitsindustries,therangeofits tourism,thequalityoftheservicesitprovides.Thisisduenotjusttothe effortsofgovernmentanditsagenciesbutfundamentallytothehard workofthepeopleofruralScotland.FormanyyearsScotshavetravelled abroadforworkandearnedgoodlivingsandgoodreputations.They nowseethatrtiralScotlandofferstheopportunitiestheyoncesought elsewhereandincreasinglytheystaytomaketheirliveshere. ItisoftenthoughtthatGovernmentinScotlandhasconcentrated itsattentionontheacuteproblemswhichfacedurbancommunities, admittedlywithconsiderablesuccess.Theeffortinsupportofrural communitieshasbeennolessinfluentialbut,perhaps,lesswell recognised.Withouttheconcentrationofpopulationofui'banareasitis PrintedimagedigitisedbytheUniversityofSouthamptonLibraryDigitisationUnit moi'edifficulttobringpeopletogethertoachievethe“criticalmass” necessarytoachievetherapidgrowthsuchaswehaveseeninthe developmentoftheelectronicsindustryinthecentralbeltofScotland. New^technolog}'isonewaytobringpeopletogetherandsubstantial investmenthasbeenmadeinthisintheHighlandsandIslandstoday. Thisdocumentproposesanewapproachwhichwouldaimto: •developacommonlanguagewhichruralcommunitiesand thoseworkingintheirsupportcanusetohuUdtheirownideas fordevelopment; •bringtogethertheconsiderableeffortinsupportofrural communitiesinacontinuingandcoherentmanner. Inthisdocument,onwhichweareseekingcomment,thesearch forcommonlanguageisbegunbysuggestingsomethemeswhichthe Governmentseesbothasfundamentaltothemoredetaileddevelopment ofpolicyandasissuesw'hichcommunitiesthemselvescanaddressin decidingtheirownwayforward.Inthistheoverallapproachisoneof partnership. Bringingtheefforttogetherisachallengingtask.Ihavealready appointedaMinister,LordJamesDouglas-Hamilton,todothiswithin TheScottishOfficeandTheScottishOfficeRuralFrameworkisintended tofocusourow'neffort.ButIhopethat,takingtheFrameworkthemesas abackground, theprivateandvoluntarysectorsaswellaslocal authoritiesandgovernmentagencieswillwishtoworkwithusinthistask. IandtheteamofScottishOfficeMinistersw'otildw'elcometheir involvementw'hichcanbringonlyincreasedbenefitstoruralScotland. SecretaryofStateforScotland 2 PrintedimagedigitisedbytheUniversityofSouthamptonLibraryDigitisationUnit Introduction ScottishEnterpriseTa%side workingwithCentralEuropean countriestomarketseedpotato productsandexpertise. T heScottishOfficeadministersabroadrangeofpolicies affectingthosewholivein,workinandenjoyruralScotland.This consultationpaperidentifiessomecommonthemestoactasafocusfor thoughtandactionaboutthefutureofruralScotland,identifiesthe majoragenciesandprovidessomeinformationabouttheirwork. Therehasbeenagrowingrecognitioninrecentyearsthatthe needsoftheruralcommunityrequireanapproachbroaderthanthat usuallyappliedtourbanareas.Theruralcommunityfacesdemandsfrom severaldirections.Onanobjectivebasis,ruralsocietysharesmuchwith Scotlandasawhole.Theservicesectorandmanufacturingindustryare dominantandtheneedsofthepeoplewholiveandworktherearefor qualityandchoiceinhousing,employment,accessandservices.Butfrom anotherperspective,ruralScotlandisaboutamorefamiliaragendaofthe primaryindustries,especiallyagricultureandforestry:theseremainthe dominantlandusers,pro\ideshapetotheruraleconomyandgivethe countrysideitsspecialcharacter.YetanotherviewseesruralScodandasa placetovisitforpleasureorrecreation,withitslandscapes,wildlifeand wildernessareastobeprotectedandmaintained.Allthesearelegitimate perceptions.Reconcilingtheseviews,andmeetingthedemandswhichflow fromthem,reliesonasensitiveapproachinwhichthethemesofthis documentwillplayacentralrole. EachDepartmentwithintheScottishOfficehasitsownspecial interestsandtoensurethattheyworkharmoniouslytogether,aScottish 3 PrintedimagedigitisedbytheUniversityofSouthamptonLibraryDigitisationUnit OfficeMinisterco-ordinatesacrossthewholeScottishOfficepolicies whichaffectruralareasparticularly.Thisdocumentresultsfromthat co-ordinationprocess.Itisnotintendedtoprovideanswerstothemany questionsruralliferaisesbuttobuildtowardsamoreactiveappreciation LordJamesDouglas-HamiltonM.A.LL.BM.P. oftheavailableopportunities. Oneofthemostimportantresultsfromtheco-ordinationeffortis therealisationthattacklingruralissuesinasectoralmannerdoesnot work.Forexample,ifthepatternofagriculturechangesinlightofthe reviewoftheCommonAgriculturalPolicyoftheEuropeanCommunity thenthesupportitcurrentlygivestoruralcommunitieswillalsochange. Butnewemploymentfortheagriculturalcommunitywillcomefrom expandingothertraditionalactivitiesliketourismordevelopingnew marketsandanapproachconfinedtoanagriculturalviewpointmaynot exploitalltheopportunitieswhichbecomeavailable.Thosenew opportunitiesliewithintheresponsibilitiesofmanydepartmentsand agencies,thelocalauthoritiesandtheprivateandvoluntarysectors.To takeadvantageofthemrequiresanacknowledgementofsomeideasin common.Thefirstpartofthisdocumentputsforwardsomethoughtson whatthesethemesare.Thelistisnotintendedtobecompleteor unchangingbutisofferedtohelpruralcommunitiesandthoseworking withthemtoadvance. Manyagencies,includinglocalauthoritiesandvoluntarybodies (manyofwhomreceivesubstantialsupportfromtheScottishOffice) are , majorpartnersinsupportofrurallife;thesecondpartofthisdocument describesthatpartofthisworkdonebyTheScottishOfficeandsomeof themaingovernmentagenciesinsupportofruralcommunities.This mayassistthosewhoarelookingtodevelopnewpartnership arrangementsaswellasprovidinganeasyreferenceforsourcesofadvice andassistance. 4 PrintedimagedigitisedbytheUniversityofSouthampton LibraryDigitisationUnit The FrameworkThemes ^Toassistpartnership,theScottishOfficepropo.sesherea numberofthemeswhichappearfundamentaltoimprovementoflifein ABasisfor ruralcommunities.Insodoing,thereisnodesiretosetdownacentral Discussion prescriptionforthewayforward:todosowouldriskwrong-footingmany peopleandorganisationswhoarewell-advancedinimportant programmes,developmentsandplans.Instead,TheScottishOffice wishestocreateanatmosphereinwhichusefuldebatecantakeplace againstabackgroundoverwhichthereislittledissent.Manyofthese themesarealreadycentraltotheGovernment’sownpoliciesandare,to varyingextents,takenintoaccountintheprogrammesandpoliciesofits agencies.Butthereisscopeforfurtherdevelopmentofpartnershipsin whichtheavailabilityofthesethemesasabackdropmaybeuseful. TheScotti.shOfficehopesthattherewillbediscussionoftheideas putforwardandthat,induecourse,agenciesandauthoritieswilltake advantageofthatdebatetoimprovetheservicetheyoffer.Itplanstoset 5 PrintedimagedigitisedbytheUniversityofSouthampton LibraryDigitisationUnit upsuchdiscussionsatvariouslevelswiththeaimofincreasingtheuseof thepartnershipapproach. Thisdocumentopensanewapproachtothehandlingofrural matterswithinTheScottishOffice.Thenextpublication,tobeissuedsoon, willbe“ScottishRuralLife:asocio-economicprofileofruralScotland” whichwillprotideanoverviewofthecharacteristicsofruralScotlandand howtlieyhavechangedoverthelast30-40years. TheScottishOfficewouldwelcomecommentontheideasput forwardinthisdocumentandwouldliketohearyourthoughtson puttingthemintopractice.IfyouhaveanyquestionsorsuggestionsThe Contact: ScottishOfficewouldbepleasedtohearfromyou. GeoffPearson TheScottishOffice Room6/61 NewStAndrew’sHouse Edinburgh EHl3TG Tel:0312444068 Fax:0312444071 6 PrintedimagedigitisedbytheUniversityofSouthampton LibraryDigitisationUnit COMMUNITYINVOLVEMENT The Strength of the rural community lies in its people; it is vital that they be involved in decisions about their future. TheScottishcountrysideisnotjustarvildlifesanctuarynoragallery offinelandscapestobevisitedonspecialoccasionsbutaplacewhere peopleliveandwork.AlmostonethirdofthepopulationofScotland (1.43million)livesinthoselocalauthoritydistrictswhichhaveapopulation densityoflessthan1personperhectare,acurrentdefinitionofarural area.Thepopulationoftheseareasconstitutesamajorcommunitytobe involvedinplanningthefuturedevelopmentoftheirarea.Butother communitiesexisttoo:thecommunityofvisitorswhocometousethe counti'ysidesuchaswalkers,climbers,fishermen,photographersand sportsmenofalltypes.Itisdifficultforallthesecommunitiestomeet togetherandwithothercommunities.Oneapproach,alreadymeetingwith somesuccess,istheworkinggroupforaspecificareasuchasthatlookingat themanagementoftheCairngormsarea. Althoughtherearemanyagenciesnowworkinghardto encourageprosperityforruralScotland,therearesomeareasortopics whereaspecialapproachisjustified.Twomajorworkingpartiesare studyingthebestwayforwardinthemanagementoftheCairngorms areaandofLochLomondandtheTrossachs.Theseworkingparties bringtogetherpeopleandbodiesinterestedinthefutureoftheirareas andtheyshouldbereportingtotheSecretaryofStatein1992-93. Environmentaleducationisbeingexaminedbyanotherworkingparty whilemanyissuesofinteresttoruralpeoplearetackledbyconferences andseminarsorganisedbybodieslikeRuralForum,theRoyalTown LochLomondtakenfromMLURl PlanningInstituteandthePlanningExchange. LandCaverSurvey 7 PrintedimagedigitisedbytheUniversityofSouthampton LibraryDigitisationUnit Communitieswhichhavemadeaparticularefforttobuildon theirownpeopleaboundinScotland.Manylocalauthoritieshave developedarrangementstoinvolvetheirlocalpeopleindecision-making. Someverysmall,isolatedcommunitieslikethatinLagganhavetaken mattersintotheirownhandsrunningtheirowncommunitybusinesses, buildingcommunityfacilities,raisingthenecessaryfundsthemselves. TowmslikeAberfeldyandPitlochryhaveusedaparticularlyactive communitytotackleissueslikegreentourismandthesettingupof communityradiostations.Someareashavefoundthelocalforuma usefulwayofbringingtheircommunitiestogethertoaddressissuesand toarticulatetheirviewstolocalandstatutoryauthorities.InSkyeand South-WestScotland,forumsofthiskindthriveandHighlandForum piovidesabioader-basedapproachfortheirarea.RuralForumprovides afocusfordiscussionofruralissuesandservicestoitswiderangeof members. HIEsupportfortuitionintraditionalHighlandMusic 8 PrintedimagedigitisedbytheUniversityofSouthampton LibraryDigitisationUnit DIVERSITY Diversity^ once a common feature of rural communities, needs to be re-established and pursued. Formanyyears,agriculturehasbeenthetraditionalbackboneof ruralcommunities.Itisthedominantlanduseinruralareasandisa visiblesignoftheactivityofthelocalpeople.Itprovidesasenseofplace andisthefoundationofanumberofothersourcesofemploymentand income.Butwhileagriculturewillcontinuetohaveakeyroleinhelping sustainruralcommunitiesitcannolongerdosoonitsown.Thechanges affectingagriculturewillcontinue,andagriculturewillchangetomeet thesenewchallenges.Onewayforwardforthefarmeristodiversify,to expandintotourism,togrownewcrops,tousehislandforrecreational ventures,toengagetheinterestofnaturelovers.Noneofthesealonewill replacetheagriculturalbusinessofgrowingfoodanditwillnotbean easytransitiontomake. Othertraditionalruralemploymentsareunderpressureto change.Theforesterisbeingaskedtoprovidemorefacilitiesfor recreation,toplantabroaderrangeofspecies,toplanactivelyforwild- life.Hetooneedstolookfornewopportunities.Indiversityliesstrength DumfriesandGallowayLocalEnierpnseCompany “SelfStarters"SchemeAnimalActingAgency notweakness.Thefarmerandtheforesteralreadyknowthisfromtheir EnterpriseAyrshireSupportforschoolleavers experienceofthenaturalworld.Justaseachspecieshasitsownthreats enteringtextiletrade‘Palmersfeans’ andpredatorsweshouldnotcometorelytoostronglyonanarrowrange ofeconomicactivities. Movingtomorediversebusinessesisnoteasy.Equallyrural communitiesneedtolookfordiversityinotheraspectsoftheirlives. Traditionalpatternsofservicedeliverycanbereplacedbynewerforms, likepost-buses,toexploitopportunitiesnowavailable. 9 PrintedimagedigitisedbytheUniversityofSouthampton LibraryDigitisationUnit QUALITY Rural commuriities deserve higli quality services and need to produce high quality products. TheproductsofruralScotlandareintrinsicallyofthehighest quality,asmanyofthemcomefromsuperbnaturalsourcesandhavethat desirablehand-madeelement.Scotlandisinternationallyrenownedfor itsfoodproducts,andtheFarmAssuredSchemegivesnewstatustothe quality'ofScottishproduce.Forexample,Scotchbeef,whiskyandlamb allhaveenviablereputations. Butdoesthepursuitofqualityextendintootherpartsofrural life?Thedesignofbuildingsinthecountrysidehasbeengoodinthepast andrecentguidancefromTheScottishOfficeEmdronmentandIndustry LordStrathclyde:launch Departmentssuchasthaton“RoadsandTrafficintheCountryside”and ofScottish(hialityAssuredPork DesignofHousingintheCountryside”willcontinuetoshapea desirableruralbuiltenvironment.TheForestryCommissionhas pioneeredgoodlandscapedesigninforestryandthroughitsexcellent publishedguidelinesitlookstoensurethatgoodlandscapedesignisalso adoptedbytheprivatesector. Ourlandscapesareofworldclassandourclimate,forthemost part,enablesenjoymentofthemformostoftheyear.Ourwildlifeis accessibleandvaried,ourruraltownsandvillagesarehistorically interestingandattractive.TheancienthistoryofScotlandisvisibleinthe manyancientmonumentsinthecareofHistoricScotlandandindmdual landlords.Theseelements,eachofinternationalquality,nowneedtobe broughttogetherandthelinksbetweenthemrefinedtomatchthat 10 PrintedimagedigitisedbytheUniversityofSouthampton LibraryDigitisationUnit