Staffordshire pledges to boost rural economy

RURAL communities in parts of Staffordshire have been promised more help with job creation and the protection of green space.

Staffordshire County Council has made the pledge in its Rural Declaration for Staffordshire. The initiative involves bringing together a group of organisations which will work together to improve the status of the county’s rural areas.

The local authority said 80% of the county was classed as rural and the areas were a vital part of Staffordshire’s make-up.

It said the Rural Declaration would set out commitments to improve the prospects of these areas and to make them places to do business by developing better broadband services and rolling out the county’s loans scheme.

There will be a more efficient use of resources and these will be targeted at sectors such as transport and development.

Cllr Mark Winnington, Staffordshire’s cabinet member for environment and assets, said: “The county council and its partners have already made great strides in recent years in improving rural Staffordshire, its communities and contribution to our economic growth. This has been an interactive process as we boost growth and opportunities in our urban areas at the same time.

“These have included our £7.4m investment to significantly improve superfast broadband access across the whole county by mid-2015, introducing a rural premium to enhance direct payments for those living in isolated areas and supporting the community council with its bulk oil buying scheme – recognising mains gas does not reach everyone.

“We continue to support rural business through our loans scheme, encourage rural entrepreneurship through our county farms and back rural companies by using them as our suppliers.”

Organisations signing up to the Rural Declaration will be from the public, private and voluntary and charitable sectors.