Greenmount RDP seminar notes - Rural Community Network

Q.1 - What do you think of the proposed programme?
Not enough to enhance the rural community
A lot pointed to farmers, larger percentage of dwellers not involved in agriculture
Transport – lack of public transport, needs to be factored into current proposals
Car necessity – higher costs associated with rural living, deprivation/fuel
Potential opportunity to maximise rural assets and create more sustainable living
Opportunity for social farming
Market towns and contribution to rural hinterland for services.
Q.2 – What’s good about the proposals, what do you agree with?
Quite a lot to support agriculture industry
Knowledge transfer good – potential for social farming need to be cross cutting and
networking
Support co-operation, this is seen as a particular challenge for farmers
Q.3 – What needs changed and are there any gaps?
Mobile masts/broadband
Next generation of young people – they can miss out on opportunities
Expanding existing services/shared services – increased funding
Promoting rural life/living – create a vision
Equity of provision
Recognition of volunteers – financial cost
Q.4 – What are the lessons that need to be learned from the last Rural Development Programme?
Match funding – consider financial engineering./paperwork/ timescales – too tight
Invest NI don’t advertise fact support for new businesses – LEADER offers much more to
SME
Q.5 If there are insufficient funds to support the proposed programmed should be available funds
be distributed across all the proposed schemes?
Should prioritise and give right amount of money
Look at ways to collaborate