Rural Development Sub-Committee

Inquiry into Poverty and Deprivation in Rural Wales

Response from Vale of Glamorgan Council

27th March 2008
Chris Fray
(01446) 704758
(01446) 704622
CF/lje8
cfray@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

Clerk of the Committee
Rural Development Sub Committee
Welsh Assembly Government
Cardiff Bay
CF99 1NA

Dear Sir/Madam

Scrutiny Inquiry into Poverty and Deprivation in Rural Wales

I refer to your letter of 22^nd January 2008 and apologise for the delay in responding. In respect of the items raised in your letter I respond as follows:

1. Lack of basic services e.g. limited access to public transport.

2. WAG - funding

3.(i) Rural Community Action (RCA)

3 (ii).Although the direct aim of RCA is not to tackle poverty, the resulting projects and initiatives benefit communities through increased investment, employment and greater community engagement. Any rural development initiatives are less likely succeed without this grassroots support. The outward migration of young people is a problem better solved through local initiatives that can be tailored to suit the area. Some of the Pan Rural Wales initiatives such as Llwybro Routes (although a good scheme) have a lesser impact in the Vale simply because they try and be all things to all rural young people.

4. Poverty is experienced in pockets, but those people suffering poverty are often 'postcode' victims, living in an area which overall is one of the least deprived. This may mean that in many cases they are not able to benefit from WAG anti poverty initiatives because of the ward/local authority boundaries. If there are Pan Wales initiatives then the project officers need sufficient resourcing in order to address specific problems in each local authority area.

5. RCA formerly linked to Article 33 and now Axes 3 and 4 is an example of good practice and should continue in order to support Rural initiatives and supplement local authority resources.

Yours faithfully

Chris Fray
Head of Economic Development and Leisure

c.c. John Maitland Evans, Chief Executive
Sustainability.comm@Wales.gsi.gov.uk
susan.perkins@WLGA.GOV.UK