OECD Study Mission: Leicestershire

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OECD Study Mission Leicestershire 22nd May
2009Supporting rural communities andbusinesses
in Leicestershire
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Supporting Rural Leicestershirewhat we do and
how we do itMatthew KempsonLeicestershire
County Council
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Population by urban / rural area of Leicestershire population
Urban 425,401 68
Town and Fringe 122,273 20
Village and Hamlet 76,182 12
Total 623,856
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Our approach in Leicestershire

• The right people

• The right places (SCS, LAA2, MAA)

• Knowing our communities

• Raising the profile

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Having the right people

• Leicestershire Rural Partnership
• Councillor portfolio holder (rural scrutiny
  committee)
• Rural Champions
• LCC Rural Team (4.5)

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Being in the right places- sub-regional
governance structures

• Leicestershire Together - SCS
• Local Area Agreement
• District LSPs Access to Services
• Enhanced Economic Role
• Multi Area Agreement
• EMRAF - LA rep
• CCN Rural Task Group
• Defra Rural issues sounding board

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LSPs and the LAA2

• Representation and embedded in LT structure
• District LSPs
• Enhanced Economic Role
• Multi Area Agreement

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Knowing our communities

• 27 Community Forums
• 50 of Leicestershire parishes with Parish Plan
  activity
• 10 Quality Parish Councils LAA target (20)
• Robust evidence base
• Economic Assessment
• Places Survey
• Rural Services Survey

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Raising the profile

• European Commission for Agriculture and Rural
  Development
• Working with Central/Local Government to promote
  and implement rural proofing commitment
• Local advocate for the Regional Rural Affairs
  Forum
• Local Awareness raising - conference / forums

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Some practical examples

• Business Support and Services to Businesses
• Delivering transport solutions in rural areas
• Services for an ageing population community
  integration

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Business Support andServices for
BusinessesMatthew KempsonCharlene ArnoldEast
Midlands Business
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Vibrant Villages, 2008-10

• Post offices, village shops and community spaces
• lt5k (lt10k community spaces)
• 240,000 capital grants
• Supported by LCC and emda
• Retail consultant
• Steering Group (Rural Services Co-ordinator)
• Rural Services Survey 2009

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Rural Business Support Programme

• 3-year programme ended March 2009
• Supported 391 businesses - 1.2m
• Redundant buildings
• Farmers development
• Rural visitor
• Micro-enterprise (non-sector specific)
• Rural Business Advice Fairs (c4. pa)

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Roots at Barkby Thorpe

• Farm shop east of Leicester
• Redundant Building Grant
• Farmers Development Grant
• Cold room storage
• Internal fixtures
• c. 14k awarded

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Welland Valley Rapeseed Oil

• Family farm in Houghton on the Hill for last 150
• Farmers Development Grant - 5k
• Specialist marketing consultancy for brand
  development Project Kickstart

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Rural Economic Priorities, 2009-12

• Supporting Market Towns and Rural Centres as
  Economic Hubs
• Supporting the Growth of Small Businesses
• Developing Rural Sectors (identified through
  Ecotec report)
• Improving accessibility to employment, training
  and key services
• Increasing availability of affordable rural
  housing

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Rural Economic Support Programme

• Towns and Rural Centres Business Partnership
  Development
• Business Growth and Sustainable Communities
• Infrastructure Investment Grants
• Opportunity to purchase additional BL service
  ICT support
• Food and drink and tourism further
  consideration
• Woodland Economy - potential

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• Rural Business Support
• Leicestershire
• Charlene Arnold
• East Midlands Business
• OECD/LRP Event
• 22nd May 2009

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Background

• Dual Branding of consortium partners used to
  raise awareness only
• Partners recognised by rural and in particular
  land based businesses, therefore gravitas through
  association
• Raise awareness and promote Business Link as the
  gateway to business support

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How?

• Capacity build enquiry handlers and Business
  Support Advisers beyond the rural champion
• Workshop training, events, shadow visits
• Specific development of diagnostic tool and fact
  sheet series
• Increase the number of specialist solution
  providers
• Network with key rural business Intermediaries
• Enhance information about business on REBSIS

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Where? Regional service delivered locally

1. Brigg
2. Bakewell
3. Retford
4. Lincoln
5. Kings Lynn
6. Spalding
7. Grantham
8. Melton Mowbray
9. Northampton

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Business Link in Leicestershire

• Locally managed area team for existing businesses
  with 19 Business Support Advisers also covering
  skills brokerage under Train to Gain (6 in the
  City, 13 in the County) including champion
• Pre start and Start up part of the universal
  service delivered under the Business Link banner
  by EMB

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Business Link in Leicestershire

• Local enquiry handlers working to a
  geographical adviser matrix
• Local information specialist to gather local
  knowledge
• Dedicated partnership function for Leicestershire

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Leicestershire (All districts not including
Leicester City) 1st April 2008- 31st March 2009
Number of individuals receiving support 1,794
Number of businesses trading less than 12 months receiving support 505
Number of businesses trading for a minimum of 12 months receiving support 9,007
Total number of customers receiving support (Hybrid) 11,306
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Leicestershire (All districts not including
Leicester City) 1st April 2008- 31st March 2009
Number of new businesses created 326
Number of jobs created 510
Number of new businesses surviving for a minimum of 12 months 198
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Leicestershire (All districts not including
Leicester City) 1st April 2008- 31st March 2009
Number of businesses receiving information 8,230
Number of businesses receiving 1-2-1 business support 2,224
Number of businesses assisted 2,402
Number of businesses intensively assisted 422
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Leicestershire (All districts not including
Leicester City) 1st April 2008- 31st March 2009
- Grant Funding
Business Transformation Grant 92/433,902
Business Turnaround Grant 9/13,500
Social Enterprise Business Advice Grant 11/16,450
Train to Gain (Total Engagements) 737
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Leicestershire (All districts not including
Leicester City) 1st April 2008- 31st March 2009
- Grant Funding
Leadership and Management Grant 83/89,753
Leaders First 60/42,677
Resource Efficiency Diagnostics completed 63
Resource Efficiency Grant 1/9,365
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2009-2010 regionally and locally

• Land based business Service has 850 Interventions
  and Action Plans to complete regionally and
• 30 New Enterprises to Establish regionally
• Partnership working with LRP to maximise on
  opportunities for joint working
• Working with the Solutions for Business Portfolio
  of Products

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2009-2010 regionally and locally

• Reach Difficult Areas and other Groups
• Further training and support from Land Based
  Business Programme consortium partners
• Further Promote RDPE
• Further Enhancement of REBSIS to include
  Intermediaries

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Effects of Recession on Land Based Business

• Two types of LBB Farming and other

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Farming...

• Benefits from weak sterling may not last
• Generally strong Balance Sheet
• Reduced access to more costly finance to fund
  increasing working capital requirement
• Increased interest in other activities as profit
  declines but subject to geography, management and
  finance e.g. RDPE

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Non Farming...

• May benefit from weak sterling
• Generally weak Balance Sheet
• Reduced access to more costly finance to fund
  increasing working capital requirement
• Increased interest in looking at costs and other
  marketing or growth initiatives

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Non Farming Examples

• Equestrian Business
• Horse Bedding
• Tourism, BB etc
• Commercial office or premises
• Waste and recycling
• Water Resources
• Adding value retail etc

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OECD Study Mission on Rural Policy in England

• Tony Kirk
• Group Manager
• Passenger Transport Unit (PTU)

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Overview

• What does the Passenger Transport Unit (PTU)
  provide?
• Role of the PTU and Bus Support Policy
• Some of the rural transport interventions
• Challenging perceptions
• The role of information and communication
• Questions

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Passenger Transport Unit

• Responsible for delivery of over 30m of
  transport support across Leicestershire
  including
• Home to school transport
• Social Care transport
• Management of the English National Travel
  Concession Scheme
• continued

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Passenger Transport Unit

• Socially necessary bus services
• Accessible/Community transport
• Passenger Fleet (120 vehicles, 200
  drivers/escorts)
• Publicity and Marketing
• Passenger Transport Policy

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Role of the PTU

• Delivering an hourly or better service, within an
  800 metre walk, to 95 of Leicestershires
  residents (76 in rural areas)
• For remaining residents provide essential
  services to work, education/training, health,
  shopping and where possible, leisure
• Ensuring services are rural proofed
• Providing services for mobility impaired
  residents
• Ensure services are value for money

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Home to School Transport

• Provision of transport for 20,000 students a day,
  many from rural areas travelling over three miles
  to their nearest school
• Transported by contract bus, season ticket, rail
  and taxi.

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Demand Responsive Transport

• Roll out and delivery of DRT initial scepticism
  and anxiety amongst residents
• Track record of really successful delivery
• Featuring in Commission for Rural Communities and
  DfT Sustainable Rural Accessibility
• Best Practice Guidance
• 2007/08 18,500 passenger journeys
• 2008/09 19,200 passenger journeys

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Rural Rider Service

• Innovative approach to consultation
• Consolidation of disparate services into branded
  service.
• 70,000 savings a year with better service levels
  and better co-ordinated publicity
• Usage up from 700 pjs per month in
• 2006 to 750 per month in 2008
• Won award at UK Bus Awards 2007
• Bus in the Countryside category.

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Accessibility Partnership

• 8 new vehicles delivered and in service
• Countywide coverage in partnership with Voluntary
  Actions and Volunteer Centres
• Difficulty engaging with partners, particularly
  business, but recognise the importance of this
• Annual forum concluded communication
• and information was key

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Emerging 14-19 Education Agenda

• Emerging agenda around access to new routes to
  training and qualifications for 14-19 students
• Transfer of responsibilities from LSC to local
  authorities and impact on transport in rural
  areas funding implications being assessed but
  no additional funding for transport in
  Leicestershire
• 16-19 Partnership funding to improve access to
  schools
• Walking and Cycling Team have delivered projects
  in Castle Donington, Guthalaxton and
  Countesthorpe

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Leicestershire Rural Partnership

• Challenging perceptions whilst delivering
  appropriate
• solutions
• Understanding and communicating whats delivered
  is key
• Evidence/proof of need essential before services
• are implemented
• continued

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Leicestershire Rural Partnership

• Pilot access to work/training in North West
  Leicestershire and Lutterworth area.
• Slow take up despite extensive publicity
• Working with other partners, e.g. Stephenson
  College, to develop project
• May prove that services not needed

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Working with NHS on Access to Services

• Partnering the NHS and Loughborough University to
  look at access to community hospitals countywide.
  A pilot project is currently being undertaken for
  the Loughborough and Hinckley Community Hospitals
  with intention of using best practice for
  remaining community hospitals in Leicestershire.

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Social Car Schemes Community Transport

• Part of the solution to address rural isolation
• Social car schemes and community transport to
  address rural accessibility and residents
  isolated because of mobility problems
• We provide funding to VA and VC partners to help
  deliver 8 social car schemes and 11 accessible
  transport services

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Hourly Bus Network

• Policy developed as part of a Best Value Review
  reporting in 2002
• The 95 hourly network fully delivered in late
  2004 service usage reviewed to assess whether
  network still fit for purpose. Some services
  returning to commerciality
• continued

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Hourly Bus Network

• Continuing marketing/promotion of the hourly
  network key
• Access to key attractors for work,
  education/training, health and shopping
• Remaining 5 are covered by solutions already
  discussed such as Rural Rider and DRT but
  conventional bus services at lower frequencies
  are used

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Development in Rural Areas

• Local Development Framework, Regional Spatial
  Strategy, Housing Market Area, Sustainable Urban
  Extensions
• The role of public transport in accessing
  services
• Planning obligation and how it affects service
  delivery soft measures, pump priming of service
  improvements, free passes, travel planning

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The Role of Information and Communication

• New approach to travel planning and accessibility
  recognising success in pilot areas and reacting
  to feedback on identified need for better
  information and communication.
• New community transport web site launched
• Information included in village and community
  magazines
• Spring Savers vouchers
• distributed to 60 communities
• in East Leicestershire

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DiscussionAny Questions?
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Meeting the needs of an ageing population in
Leicestershire
Heather Pick Assistant Director for Older and
Disabled People, Adult Social Care Service,
Leicestershire County Council. Contact
hpick_at_leics.gov.uk
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Leicestershire An ageing population

• Currently Leicestershire is comparable to the
  English population in the numbers of those aged
  65 and over.
• The over 65 population is set to increase in the
  future by approximately 5 between 2008 and 2025.
• In terms of locality, Harborough is expected to
  experience the biggest percentage increase in
  those aged 65 and over, followed by Melton.
• An estimated 35.2 of those aged 65 and over
  currently live alone in the County of
  Leicestershire. This is predicted to increase by
  55.7 across the County, and by almost three
  quarters in the locality of Harborough.
• The number of people unable to self-care is
  currently 32.4 in Leicestershire and is
  predicted to increase by 60.0 by 2025.
• Source Joint Strategic Needs Assessment Refresh,
  2009, Leicestershire
• Together.

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Challenges in meeting the needs of an ageing
population rural issues

• Increased numbers of people aged 65 and over
• Potential increased demand for support services
• Delivery of services - significant travelling
  involved in the delivery of services i.e.
  floating support can act as a considerable
  barrier to effective delivery
• Informing older people living in rural areas of
  available services
• Accessibility of transport
• Digital exclusion amongst older people
• Ensuring equality in the provision of services

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Meeting the needs of an Ageing Population a
strategic approach (1)

• The County Integrated Partnership for Older
  People (CIPOP) is the lead partnership for
  championing and delivering Social Care Service
  and Local Area Agreement priorities for older
  people within the county.
• In 2006 the Older Peoples Engagement Network
  (OPEN) was established to enable older people to
  play an active part in local decision making and
  the services provided.

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Meeting the needs of an Ageing Population a
strategic approach (2)

• In conjunction with CIPOP and the OPEN, an Ageing
  Well Strategy for the county has been developed.
  A key objective of the strategy is supporting
  people to ensure that they are able to
  participate fully in the community in which they
  live.
• Long term strategic priorities of the Adult
  Social Care Service (ASCS) and Leicestershire
  County and Rutland NHS (LCR NHS) include
  increasing the number of preventative and early
  intervention services.

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Addressing the challenges good practice (1)

• Engaging older people
• OPEN consists of approximately 30 members
• In total there are four subgroups, one of which
  examines rural issues
• 14 older peoples champions in Leicestershire
• Partnership working
• Working with the voluntary sector and Age Concern
  to develop and improve local community resources
  and information for older people, including
  supporting people to access local community
  activities as an alternative to day care
  services.
• Equality Impact Assessments
• The ASCS aim to carry out equality impact
  assessments as part of the preparation for
  service reviews, the review and roll-forward of
  key medium and long-term service planning
  activity, or where major changes in service
  delivery are under consideration.

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Addressing the challenges good practice (2)

• Personalisation
• Facilitation of social enterprise groups (pooling
  of resources)
• Shaping the market to meet individual needs and
  direct provision
• Provision of reablement services
• Assessments of need
• Joint Strategic Needs Assessments aims to
  identify the future needs of the Leicestershire
  population produced in partnership between the
  ASCS and LCR NHS
• Research is underway to determine the barriers to
  use of support services by Black and Minority
  Ethnic groups funded jointly by ASCS and LCR NHS

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Addressing the challenges good practice (3)

• Digital inclusion
• A mobile ICT service (adult learning service) and
  the library service provide a number of silver
  surfers computer taster sessions.
• The Care-on-Line service (ASCS) has assisted over
  300 housebound people to use computers in their
  own homes and over 3000 others in other settings
  like day centres.
• Intergenerational service bid centring on digital
  inclusion currently being complied partners
  include ASCS, Children's and Young Peoples
  Service and Age Concern.
• Social support delivery
• To encourage provision of domiciliary services in
  rural areas a new pricing structure has been
  introduced
• Urban flat rate
• Rural/urban areas middle rate
• Rural enhanced rate
• Leicestershire has been divided into 19 zones
  designed to ensure all areas of the County are
  catered for in future. When a provider is
  awarded a contract they must guarantee to provide
  care to all areas within that zone, including
  outlying areas and remote villages.

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Addressing the challenges good practice (4)

• Community activities
• First contact scheme currently being rolled
  out. Key partners committed are
• Review of current day service models and
  opportunities for Individual/Personal Budgets
• Community inclusion service
• Community Activity / Involvement Directory
• Reablement services
• Home Care Assessment and Rehabilitation Team
  (HART) provides a local rehabilitation/reablemen
  t service
• Falls clinics
• Signal Bus

ASCS Local Pension Service
Fire Service Leicestershire Police
LCR NHS Age Concern
Trading Standards Library Services
South Leicestershire Citizens Advice Bureau