August 2015 Welcome to the RCAN Newsletter. It contains articles from RCAN and information taken from the press. I do hope you find the content of this newsletter stimulating and useful. Please pass the newsletter onto friends if you feel they would find it useful.

Robert Crowder Chief Executive of Rural Community Action Introduction to Rural Community Action Nottinghamshire (RCAN) Can Nottinghamshire broadband be any We are a highly active and more rural than this? independent voluntary organisation, working A new broadband partnership between Nottinghamshire wide to Council, and Sharpe Group, is being supported by Rural support the needs of rural Community Action Nottinghamshire. The scheme which is communities. We were set targeted at rural areas and has been tested with 80 customers is up in 1924 and formerly now up and running in north Nottinghamshire. It provides super- known as Nottinghamshire fast broadband to both business and private householders. Rural Community Council.

N3 delivers internet via wireless line of sight technology and so In the past year Rural installation is quick as it does not require the digging of Community Action expensive cables, ducting and cabinets etc. Nottinghamshire (RCAN) and our volunteers have The fixed antennae worked hard to help the technology can be attached communities of to high points in a community Nottinghamshire; below is – such as a church tower, some of the work that we grain silo, or flagpole – and have carried out: works on a ‘line of sight’ basis to transmit signals to • We gave funding advice, properties with receiver access to professional boxes. services support and general running advice to 51 Village Halls. • RCAN’s Supporting Communities Team provided general support to 110 For more information see; http://www.northnotts.net/ community groups

across Nottinghamshire. RURAL communities will be allowed to build • RCAN have helped 60 starter homes for local residents under plans community groups across Nottinghamshire set out in the government's first ever Rural Productivity Plan. to receive £345,972worth The plan sets out measures to boost the rural economy by of grant aid. investing in education and skills, increasing wages, improving • Direct support has been infrastructure and connectivity, and simplifying planning laws provided to 24 Parish for rural businesses and communities. Council’s across Nottinghamshire. Measures include amending planning rules to allow starter • We supported the homes to be built on Rural Exception Sites for the first time. development of 7 Community Led Plans The government says this will allow local areas to allocate across Nottinghamshire. more sites for starter homes specifically for people who In Newark and Sherwood already live in the area, or have an existing local family or 1 CLP is in development. employment connection. For Bassetlaw 1 CLP is being published and in Chancellor George Osborne said: "For too long the British Rushcliffe, 3 are in economy has been reliant on businesses based in our cities Development and for 2 and towns. "We want to create a One Nation economy that we are supporting the taps into the potential of all parts of our country. implementation plans. • We worked in "That means setting the right conditions for rural communities partnership with the and businesses to thrive, investing in education and skills, planning departments to improving rural infrastructure, and allowing rural villages to undertake 7 thrive and grow." Neighbourhood Plans For more information see:- http://www.rsnonline.org.uk/ across Nottinghamshire. business/government-unveils-rural-productivity-plan 7 Neighbourhood plans supported 2 in Update on the Local Enterprise Partnership D2N2 Bassetlaw, 2 in Newark from your Voluntary Sector representative Robert and Sherwood and 3 in Crowder [email protected] Rushcliffe. • RCAN supported 12 The first call totalling £933k will go out from the end of August community consultations 2015 under the European Agricultural fund for Rural including work with the Development (EAFRD) . Applications will be from new or existing small or micro businesses looking to develop and Big Lottery in the grow in rural areas that are seeking grant assistance for , Costhorpe and investments in capital equipment or premises. Carlton area.  10 Energy Best Deal A number of Rural Business Support workshops are being sessions to over 100 organised for September and October to encourage applications for the bids. Front Line workers and consumers. Further delays in the sign off of the LEADER funding mean • In partnership with that there will not be any spend until the next financial year. Nottinghamshire The First calls for bids will now be at the end of the year after Association of Village

2 the funding calls for the European Agricultural fund for Rural and Community Halls, Development (EAFRD) have closed. RCAN designed and

distributed to its 51 The stage one application window, for tranche one bids for the Building Better Opportunities has now closed. They have members, a quarterly received over 300 applications across the 25 LEP areas in this newsletter. tranche. In the D2N2 area we received 13 applications across • The Grow and Grow the three areas of work entitled “Towards Work, Financial project has continued its Inclusion, Multiple & Complex Needs.” In understand that there support of a wide are some strong bids which will now be evaluated and reported back to the next board meeting after which successful diversity of groups all bidders will be invited to stage two. across the borough of Broxtowe. An application has been made to extend Ever wondered what each Government depart- the project across the ment does? county of Newly published, there are now a series of Short Guides to Nottinghamshire. Departments • 87 people were able to The National Audit Office is publishing one for each govern- take up new employment ment department, to assist House of Commons Select Com- or training through our mittees. Each guide gives a quick and accessible overview of Wheels to Work the department and focuses on what the department does, Nottinghamshire project. how much it costs and recent and planned changes. • During the year 14 For more information see:- http://www.nao.org.uk/search/type/ volunteer befrienders report/ have helped support over 30 lonely people From miner to Major: Sherwood Forest’s Landscape either through offering a 1-2-1 befriending Partnership Scheme service, helping with A Briefing note has been produced giving the latest information shopping, days out or about the current status of the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) just to be there for a cup Landscape Partnership Bid for Sherwood Forest, now titled of tea and a chat. “From miner to Major”. • 164 Gypsy and Traveller The bid is now in the development stage which is expected to families or individuals last up until November 2016. Upcoming activities include: have received • Consultation accommodation related • Ecosystems services support for needs • Community archaeology framework associated with • Match funding and consents homelessness, domestic The final project is expected to support projects across three violence, debt, access to main themes: primary mental and 1. Natural Heritage. Habitat improvements through large-scale physical health issues partnership projects and community-led activities. and support with benefit Conserving and re-creating heathland, acid grasslands and and statutory wood pasture; providing habitat “stepping stones” in the entitlements. farmed landscape; increasing numbers and skills of • RCAN enabled 96 volunteers to improve recording and future management. young people to acquire 2. Built and Cultural Heritage. Community-led investigation basic, practical and life

3 and conservation; inspiring a wide audience and training skills and raised self- key people in heritage skills. Addressing needs for esteem on the CAST Buildings at Risk; archaeological and heritage assets; alternative education training of owners, volunteers and contractors. angling project. This is 3. Access. Connecting people with the real Sherwood by made up of 58 young increasing physical access, interpretation, and the people through schools, provision of events. Including circular routes, an 18 through the Children accommodation guide, events and improved non-car in Need workshops, 13 access. on the Cotgrave To find out more, contact the miner to Major Project workshops and 7 from Development Manager is Beki Howey who will be starting in the Derby project. post from 01 Sept. Until she is in post, you can get further • During the past year, we information from: have seen a significant Malcolm Hackett - 0115 993 2598 increase in older IT Heather Stokes – 0115 993 2592 for more information see:- learners wishing to get http://www.rcan.org.uk/?q=content/miner-major-real-sherwood- to grips with the new forest tablet computer. To address this change we have purchased a batch RURAL crime cost the UK economy £37.8m last year of tablets, trained our - despite an overall decline in every region. volunteers and rolled the training out across the Increasingly sophisticated thieves are cybercrime are a county. We have also growing concern, said rural insurer NFU Mutual. changed our courses at Results of its annual rural crime data based on claims received the University of in 2014 were published by the company on Monday (3 Nottingham to tablet August). They show that rural crime cost the UK economy £37.8 million in 2014, down from £44.5 million in 2013 – tuition. representing a 15% fall. But despite the overall decline, • RCAN also enabled over several types of crime have continued to rise in parts of the 100 volunteers to UK, with quad bikes proving particularly attractive to thieves. undertake MiDAS Meanwhile, the cost of livestock theft nationally has remained training which will stubbornly high with several regions recording increases. The data follows a spate of high-value livestock thefts across the enable them to provide country, and the rollout of a national livestock theft reduction safer, more comfortable scheme sponsored by NFU Mutual. journeys for a wide For More information see :- http://www.rsnonline.org.uk/ range of people with our community/rural-crime-falls-by-15-says-insurer Extra Mile project. • RCAN led a group of organisations to successfully bid for nearly £4m of European funding through the next round of LEADER programme. • Since last year we have changed the process of ordering oil for the Bulk

4 Budget brings woe for village halls Oil Scheme. RCAN took over the negotiations VILLAGE halls face higher running costs due to inadvertent and ordered a total of consequences from this summer's Budget. 375,580 litres of oil A rise in Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) rise from 6 to 9.5% will saving our members an mean a typical village hall with a £1,000 premium will pay an average of 5.94 pence extra £35 per year - and bring IPT payments close to £200 per per litre. This gave a year for a larger hall. total of £22,300 saving

The £500,000 generated for the government will come from for our members over hire charges paid by small voluntary groups, say village hall the year and individuals representatives. made a saving of nearly £60 on each tank of fuel. The National Village Halls Forum, which represents more than 9,000 village halls in , is arguing that village halls RCAN has continued should either be exempt from the insurance increase or that the revenue raised should be used to help trustees share infor- development of the mation. Newstead and Annesley Country Park. This included the following: • Good progress on the RSN Rural Conference 2015: work on the Visitor Aspiration to Action...The Rural Manifesto Centre. The building We are pleased to announce the launch of the Rural Confer- work to the Eco Visitor ence 2015: Aspiration to Action...The Rural Manifesto. It is be- Centre was delayed due ing held this year at Park Campus, Cheltenham on Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th September. to vandalism to key For more information see :- http://www.rsnonline.org.uk/rsn-rural- parts of the building. The conference-2015/rsn-rural-conference-2015 insurance claim has now been settled and the next phase of the work How can we combat rural loneliness? complete. • A massive volunteering For many people, rural sights, sounds and communities are day saw 120 staff from preferable to an urban lifestyle. But for others - particularly the Eon working on the site young and elderly - rural living can be difficult, whether painting the building, shopping for basic foodstuffs, accessing training or repairing vandalised employment or socialising. barriers, putting up signs While loneliness and social isolation are not the same thing, and generally improving both are closely related and can have a severe impact on the site. quality of life. How lonely are countryside dwellers and what • The first fishing lake has can be done about it? now been open to

Back in October 2013, the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt clients and volunteer described how “it is a source of national shame that as many bailiffs are patrolling the as 800,000 people in England are chronically lonely... the site. problem of loneliness is that in our busy lives we have utterly • Volunteer wardens have failed to confront it as a society…Some five million people say raised funding to fence television is their main form of company”. The remarks were made in response to data from the Campaign to End off an area of the site for ground nesting birds.

5 Loneliness. Work is now complete for the fencing and the This revealed, in the UK, 17% of older people are in contact site continues to flourish. with family, friends and neighbours less than once a week and 11% are in contact less than once a month; over half of people • Grant aid has enabled aged 75 years and over live alone; and 59% of adults aged the development of a over 52 years who report poor health say they feel lonely some short term business plan of the time or often (compared to 21% who say they are in looking at the fishing excellent health). With a plethora of reports, campaigns and income, renewable initiatives, what is ‘social isolation’ and ‘loneliness’ and what energy and the building. does it mean for rural. • A “friends of Newstead For more information on the article by Jessica Sellick see:- Country Park” has now http://www.rsnonline.org.uk/analysis/how-to-combat-rural- been set up with local loneliness people volunteering their time to support the Business views needed for digital broadband development of the site. • A number of survey consultation events Businesses are being asked for their views to shape the future about the Wind Turbine provision of Nottinghamshire digital broadband services – have taken place and currently being upgraded by an ongoing £20million the application has now programme, backed by D2N2 – by taking part in a short online been submitted for survey. Planning Approval. Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire (BBfN) is a £20m • The reserve area has programme led by D2N2 partner authority Nottinghamshire been recognised with an County Council, which is extending the commercial roll-out of award at the Greenwood superfast, fibre-based broadband services in Nottinghamshire. Community Awards.

BBfN has received additional funding – including £2.6m from 2014-15 areas of new and the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) for its ‘Contract continued work included: Two’ stage – with the expectation that 97% of the county's  RCAN supported the homes and businesses will have the broadband access by final delivery of the completion in 2018. European funding Voluntary & Community Sector (VCS) – State of LEADER stream which the Sector Research Project has brought an additional £1.5 million to If you recently completed a survey about the State of the Vol- North Nottinghamshire. untary & Community Sector in Nottinghamshire, you will be in-  We led the North terested in the results. The Centre for Regional Economic & Nottinghamshire Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University are in the pro- cess of analysing the survey and will be publishing a report in LEADER Local Action October. Group to a successful Two events planned to disseminate the findings and help follow on programme shape the next steps. from LEADER to 20 October 2015 – 10.00 - 12.30 – Everyday Champions commence in autumn Conference Centre, Newark 23 October 2015 – 10.00 – 12.30 – County Hall, West 2015. Bridgford  In addition we helped Hold these dates in your diary. set up a group for the

6 Do the people you support watch Freeview TV South of the County who (television through an aerial)? were also successful in accessing funds from The arrival of Fourth Generation (4G) mobile phone services in LEADER and will again the Nottinghamshire area may cause problems with Freeview commence in autumn TV services, leading to a loss of sound, blocky images, or loss 2015. of some or all TV channels and the people you support may turn to you for help and guidance  As the Voluntary Sector representative on the Only people watching Freeview TV will be affected while those Local Enterprise who watch TV via cable or satellite are unlikely to experience partnership D2N2, any problems. RCAN’s Chief Executive at800 is the organisation that has been set up to help led on the development overcome any problems and may have already sent a of the social inclusion postcard to those households which may be affected, warning strategy and ensured viewers that Freeview TV reception could be disrupted. Some that the information was of these households may be entitled to receive an at800 filter - used to set the bidding free of charge. criterion for the TO9 The at800 filters make the TV less sensitive to 4G Social Inclusion calls. transmissions and enable viewers to carry on watching  The Chief Executive Freeview as normal. They are relatively small, need no also chaired the D2N2 batteries or external power supply, and will normally plug into Rural Reference Group the lead between the TV and the aerial. Each type of at800 filter has been tested to ensure it works correctly in the UK and which recommend to all come with instructions on how to fit them. the Board the priority spend for the European To enable viewers to find out what support is available and Agricultural Fund for how to access help, at800 have set up a Contact Centre. To Rural Development. get in touch, viewers should call  We have promoted the 0333 31 31 800 (Calls from landlines and mobiles are included in free call packages and inclusive minutes. Rural Community Outside of call packages, calls from landlines are Renewables scheme to typically charged between 2p and 10p per minute parishes and groups and calls from mobiles typically cost between 10p across the area. and 40p per minute).  We worked with the

Or County Council in developing the 0808 13 13 800 (Free from landlines. Calls from Community mobiles vary in cost - check with your provider). Empowerment

engagement work which For more information, please visit www.at800.tv so far has resulted in a survey on the State of the Sector.  We have worked in partnership with Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire RCC’s to develop a model of working called the

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