Uplands beware! - this could be 'help' you could do without. After all, you've been doing alright so far.

Thanks for your comment.
I'm sorry you feel that way - I think we genuinely do want to help ensure that upland communities are properly represented and supported, especially in the wake of some of the difficulties and hardship faced following the flooding and outbreaks of animal disease over the past couple of years.

Our inquiry has been welcomed today by the CLA:

"The CLA is whole-heartedly backing this much-needed look at how current issues facing upland areas are affecting rural communities.

Read their full statement on the CLA website

It is perhaps inevitable that an inquiry of this nature will be met by some with rather a large dose of scepticism. However, the evidence we have gathered before the announcement of this inquiry would certainly challenge those who hold the view that the uplands have "been doing alright so far". This inquiry will encourage those who live, work or simply care about the future of the uplands and its communities to have their say, put forward their ideas and challenge one another to find ways to secure strong and prosperous upland communities well into the future. I am delighted I will be involved in this inquiry and look forward to working with people who share my desire to do something positive.

I am not sure if I should be disturbed or encouraged by this enquiry into the future of Upland communites. The fear is that it will be just another talking shop without anything practical resulting

 The reasons for the economic delcine in these areas is fairly obvious and does not need much investigation.

1. Most small scale, non farming, industries in these areas have disappeared becasue they are no longer economic  

2. Since the 1960s'  the daughters of farmers got themselves educated and the got the hell out as soon as possible.

3. The farms were no longer able to support any more than the eldest son and his family, so the other sons had to find work elsewhere

4. Due to point 2 above there are now a lot of single farmers coming up to retirement age and nobody to pass the farm on to. So farms are split up and sold off.

4. Ease of transport and communications has allowed people to buy second homes and retirement homes in these areas, whereas previously is was not practical.

Farming will only ever employ a smal number of people in these areas and will not provide that critical mass that would encourage doctors, dentists, shopkeepers, as such like,  to want to set up business. Therefore other measures need to be taken to encourage people to move in

1. Small sustainable (hi tech) industries need to be encouraged to replace the ones that disappeared (not only tourism).

2. Telephony and Internet access needs to dramatically improve.  

3. Those remaining in farming need to drag themselves into the 21st century and form collectives that will have some bargaining power when it comes to selling their products at market. The farmers are not entirely without blame.

4. An new initiatives introduced by  EU, central or local government need to be maintained for the medium to long term. So many short term measures, in recent years, have left the farming community confused and shell shocked

 

I fully understand those, like David, who are concerned that this inquiry will be just another talking shop.  At the Commission for Rural Communities we all share that concern too.  We are determined that the inquiry must be a worthwhile exercise with some tangible outputs that bring about some positive changes. We can, however,  only achieve that objective with the help of those who are willing to contribute their thoughts, their experiences, their concerns and their ideas for the future.

By running a systematic investigation we are able to bring together a wealth of knowledge and experience from which we can make some well-informed recommendations for the future. I do hope David and others will be encouraged by our efforts and continue to share their thoughts on what those practical results might be.