A response from the Wales Council for Voluntary Action

Transcription

1 Policy Response Common Agricultural Policy Reform: Wales Rural Development Plan Final Response A response from the Wales Council for Voluntary Action April 2014 WCVA Baltic House Mount Stuart Square Cardiff CF10 5FH 1

2 Wales Council for Voluntary Action 1. Introduction to WCVA and the Third Sector Anti-Poverty Programmes Taskforce Wales Council for Voluntary Action represents, campaigns for, supports and develops voluntary organisations, community action and volunteering in Wales. It represents the sector at UK and national level; and together with a range of national specialist agencies, County Voluntary Councils, Volunteer Centres and other development agencies, it provides a support structure for the third sector in Wales. It has over 3,000 members, and is in touch with many more organisations through a wide range of national and local networks. WCVA s mission is to provide excellent support, leadership and an influential voice for the third sector and volunteering in Wales. 2. Executive Summary The RDP must meet three European Commission objectives including: The competitiveness of agriculture; The sustainable management of natural resources and climate action; Balanced territorial development of rural economies and communities including the creation and maintenance of employment. For the avoidance of doubt, WCVA s policy response is primarily focussed on the third and final priority the balanced territorial development of rural economies and communities including the creation and maintenance of employment in the context of Welsh Government s commitment to the cross cutting themes of sustainable development, equalities and tackling poverty and social exclusion (within European Programmes & cross Welsh Government as a whole). Our response also needs to be seen in the context of Building Resilient Communities, the Welsh Government s refreshed Tackling Poverty Action Plan and Shaping a more prosperous and resilient future which outlines how Welsh Government is prioritising action to increase resilience, improve resource efficiency, tackle poverty and drive green growth. WCVA and the Third Sector Anti Poverty Programmes Taskforce submitted responses to the Welsh Government consultation on the RDP last year, alongside the WEFO consultation. These responses have already been submitted to Welsh Government and are available on the WCVA website. (The Third Sector Anti Poverty Programmes Taskforce also raised concerns about rural poverty last year). The themes and recommendations outlined in these responses remain relevant and should be read as part of our final response on behalf of the sector. Below, we highlight our key messages in relation to the final consultation document. 1. The need for a pan Wales strategy for tackling rural poverty & promoting rural economic development We strongly support the priority being given to tackling poverty and social inclusion within the RDP for In particular we welcome the fact that all bids for funding through 2

3 the RDP will have to address the cross cutting theme of tackling poverty and social exclusion and that tackling poverty and social exclusion is a key financial priority in the next phase of the RDP. However, the challenge of rural poverty cannot be addressed solely through the RDP. There is a need for a pan Wales strategy for tackling rural poverty and promoting rural regeneration as part of the Welsh Government s commitment to tackling poverty and social exclusion, and its commitment to sustainable development. The RDP needs to inform a strategic approach to tackling rural poverty and social inclusion, but should not be seen as the primary vehicle for addressing it. All Welsh Government and EU investment programmes need to be subjected to a rigorous process of rural proofing as part of effective poverty proofing. 2. Rural Proofing & the Cross Cutting Themes We welcome the fact that a Rural Cross Cutting Themes Adviser will soon be joining the WEFO Cross Cutting themes team and will be advising for the RDP as well as Structural Funds. We hope that intelligence is widely shared about best practice across the different funds to ensure that we are spreading ideas, expertise and know how as widely and efficiently as possible. It is vitally important there is a forum for bringing together best practice across the CCTs and in a rural context. This will require close working and collaboration between WEFO s Cross Cutting Themes team, the Wales Rural Network, and also WCVA and WACVC on behalf of the third sector and we look forward to being a key strategic partner in this moving forward. 3. In work poverty is closely linked to rural poverty In work poverty is closely linked to and a key component of rural poverty. Initiatives to tackle poverty and social exclusion in rural areas need to focus not just on moving people into work, but supporting them to progress in work and supporting households to reduce overall living costs. Initiatives focussed on building individual, household and community resilience whilst minimising the costs associated with living in rural areas is key. This means tackling food, transport, service and fuel poverty. Transport, childcare and fuel costs pose particular challenges in rural areas. There is a need to encourage innovation to try out fresh approaches including giving support to community hubs and social enterprise solutions in rural areas. WCVA supports and endorses the submission provided by the National Energy Alliance, and believes there is also considerable scope to develop and enable the community renewable sector through Community Energy Wales. 4. A holistic approach to tackling rural poverty We welcome the fact that the Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty acknowledges the problem of rural poverty, and that the response to it requires different approaches given its dispersed and often invisible nature. An area based approach to measuring deprivation can often miss the scale, nature and breadth of rural poverty. We need to start with the problems as they are experienced in rural areas. This also means looking at different approaches and addressing issues such as accessibility of services, public transport and the cost of living. Community based wider rural development measures need to give particular regard to improving access to rural services 3

4 through locally led social enterprise approaches (such as multi functional community hubs, or rural child care businesses); village renewal and regeneration through local level engagement and action planning through existing LAGs such as PLANED; rural transport where economies of scale might require regional intervention in rural transport initiatives supported and underpinned by community leadership the expansion of rural car clubs in Scotland provides one example of the application of a strategic approach locally delivered and this is an example of the kinds of initiatives that could be considered for replication here in Wales. The Enterprise Facilitation approach developed by the Sirolli Foundation has been successfully applied in rural communities in other countries and has been effectively applied in Blaenae Gwent and in the Newtown area as part of the Powys Growth Zone project. The third sector is well placed to give voice to the needs of people often marginalised from public debate or from accessing services. The sector is also skilled in mobilising human capital to develop innovative solutions to the challenges in rural communities. 5. Enabling Community Led Local Economic Development (& Enterprise Development) We agree with the European Commission that Community led local development (CLLD) is a tool for involving citizens at a local level in developing responses to the social, economic and environmental challenges we face today. Such an approach goes beyond rural economies and communities, and resonates with the principles and practice of community development, the ethos and values of the third sector and its commitment to co-production. 1 The primary focus of CLLD for should be to develop sustainable, self reliant and resilient communities. This requires an asset based approach; a commitment to developing community hubs, entrepreneurship networks; increasing local economic multipliers ; a strategic commitment to extending community ownership of assets (energy, buildings, land); improvements to local finance and business skills such as mentoring and maximising improvements in ICT infrastructure. Such an approach resonates with the refocused Communities First programme and the commitment in the refreshed tackling poverty action plan, Building Resilient Communities. 6. Embed CLLD beyond the RDP Community Led Local Development (CLLD) represents a critically important approach to securing improvement in the local economy. As a sector we welcome the fact that CLLD is central to the approach of the RDP in We believe it has the potential to be a powerful lever for change beyond the RDP, including ERDF and other WG Programme interventions. In our consultation submission last year, we recommended extending the Community Led Local Development approach into ERDF. (In fact, we recommended ring fencing 5% of ERDF funds explicitly for CLLD interventions). As a sector, we believe that CLLD resonates with Communities First and resonates with the approach outlined in the refreshed tackling poverty action plan, Building Resilient Communities. CLLD supported and enabled through the RDP for has the potential to have a much broader application. In our view, the CLLD approach can and 1 Co Production Putting People at the Centre, WCVA, ( 4

5 should be applied more broadly to community led regeneration and as part of the Welsh Government s commitment to sustainable development and future generations. 7. Strengthen connectivity between programmes and interventions The RDP is too small to be seen as a standalone intervention and the RDP financial package will be too small to deliver a tailored rural solution for everything. This emphasises the vital importance of ensuring integration with EU Structural Funds, specifically ESF and ERDF and Welsh Government programmes (including the tackling poverty action plan) if we to transform the prospects for the rural economy. There is a need to focus on strengthening connectivity and the strategic fit between the RDP and other Government programmes (including but not limited to European programmes) and releasing the social capital of rural communities to create and add value. 8. Involve the sector as a key strategic partner through a commitment to coproduction The third sector also needs to be enabled as a key partner in delivery. In our report, The Poverty Challenge, 2 WCVA outlined the sector s particular and unique contribution to tackling poverty in the context of its overarching commitment to sustainable development. In this report, we featured case studies that looked at community exploitation of assets such as land, and buildings with a focus on the potential for community energy, and food production. Community scale renewable energy for example has the potential to generate local economic and enterprise development whilst promoting community resilience, lowering living costs, and tackling poverty and social exclusion. The sector can mobilise human capital through volunteer time and a radical approach to community asset management giving the sector a unique competitive advantage compared to the public or private sector. For practical examples of case studies tackling poverty, promoting social inclusion and developing sustainable and resilient communities (including community energy, community food production and community housing initiatives) see The Poverty Challenge. The approaches and case studies described in this paper provide a route map for the kinds of activities and interventions that the RDP for with its commitment to tackling poverty and social exclusion can facilitate and support. In last year s consultation, WCVA and the Third Sector Anti Poverty Programmes Taskforce welcomed the six new priority themes for the RDP, noting the third sector s primary interest (and strength) in Priority 6, Promoting Social Inclusion, poverty reduction and economic development in rural areas and the close links also to Priority 5 with the emphasis on the shift to resource efficiency and supporting the shift to a low carbon and climate resilient economy in agriculture, food and forestry. We also noted the strong links between sustainable development and anti-poverty interventions and noted that the third sector footprint in preserving and enhancing ecosystems and promoting resource efficiency was strong in this area, as it was in relation to anti-poverty. Priorities 5 and 6 open up opportunities for the sector in relation to social enterprise, community supported agriculture, local food and energy production and the links to local and sustainable markets and services (with prosumer market models). 2 The Poverty Challenge the role of the third sector, WCVA,

6 The third sector Supporting individual and community resilience through the RDP Food and Land as case study The Tyfu Popl programme is a 3 year programme delivered by the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens. It is currently funded by through the Rural Development Plan for Wales and the Welsh Government and provides support and advice to existing and emerging community growing projects, enabling the sharing and transfer of best practice, information, knowledge, knowhow and skills. The programme supports a variety of community growing models from community farms/gardens/orchards, allotments, community supported agriculture to forest and wildlife gardens. It brings people together and connects projects to share knowledge and best practice and delivers a series of regional gatherings and training events bringing community growers together to share knowledge and experience and assist projects in becoming more sustainable and more inclusive. The programme has been hugely successful since gaining funding through the RDP in 2011 and over 350 community growing projects have started in Wales following interaction or engagement with the programme. Tyfu Popl combined with the Community Land Advisory Service; a 5 year programme funded from the BIG Lottery to increase access to land for communities that want to grow represents a powerful mechanism and service for encouraging individual and community resilience and tackling poverty and social inclusion in rural areas. CLAS Cymru, the Community Land Advisory Service in Wales, has a number of projects and interventions that fit with and complement the resilience intentions of the Welsh Government s Tackling Poverty Action Plan, and the aims and objectives of the RDP for As a sector we welcome the opportunities to support social enterprise through the next RDP because of our role in tackling poverty and promoting social inclusion and because social enterprise has a strong track record in promoting local jobs and growth (including green growth) as part of a sustainable and inclusive Economic Renewal Strategy for Wales. There are already examples of what works from the RDP round which and should be built upon, scaled up, and replicated. The sector is well placed to support and enable community led local economic and enterprise development. 9. The RDP as a Laboratory for Change We endorse the Welsh Government s vision of the RDP as a Laboratory for Change as set out in the final consultation document. The LEADER approach is seen as the primary engine of innovation in the context of the RDP providing support for enterprise projects. The capacity of LEADER to enable local innovation for enterprise needs to be supported through stronger knowledge transfer, innovation, partnerships with higher education, and mentoring and progression to mainstream business support. LEADER also has to have much greater connectivity and linkage to ESF and ERDF initiatives to facilitate the scaling up and replicating of projects and activities that work. Successful approaches and interventions have the potential to be applied, scaled up and replicated elsewhere. (For example, through other Programmes and activities especially if the strategic fit between 6

7 programmes and budgets is well established and the means of transferring knowledge and know how is facilitated). 10. Business as Usual is not an option If the RDP is to deliver transformational change to the rural economy by 2020 part of the answer lies in changing the way business is done. This challenges all key stakeholders to innovate and develop a new approach. We agree with the analysis of the Rural Development Programme Advisory Panel that whilst we can build on current programmes, we cannot simply do more of the same for the next version of the RDP. We need to be creative with greater focus and impact in relation to the key issues facing rural Wales. It is vital that the RDP acts as the Laboratory for Change that is envisaged in the final consultation document and creates an innovation pipeline for projects and approaches which can and should be scaled up and replicated based on evidence of what works. It follows that embedding the third sector footprint in the next programming phase of the RDP for is vital if the RDP is to become the Laboratory for Change that is so clearly envisaged. 11. Embedding the third sector footprint effectively in LEADER design and delivery In our view, the third sector is well placed to support communities in the kind of grass roots action which will be critical to tackling poverty in rural communities and having the kind of transformational impact on the rural economy that the Welsh Government is seeking. In theory, this can and should be facilitated through the LEADER approach. However, the third sector footprint in RDP design and delivery must be effectively embedded if LEADER is to deliver. Third sector organisations need to be seen by Welsh Government and Local Authorities as key strategic partners if practical application is to be given to the rhetoric of co-production and partnership. The third sector also needs to be enabled as a key partner in delivery. The third sector infrastructure (WCVA and CVCs) has a crucial role to play in this respect. At the Welsh Government consultation events, it was reported that 19 out of 22 Local Authorities have already expressed an interest in the RDP. A number of these have LEADER Local Action Groups (LAGs) which are supported by local authorities and which need the input of local third sector and voluntary and community groups to work and deliver effectively. As part of the intelligence gathering to prepare this consultation response, WCVA asked for input and intelligence from CVCs. There is no single overarching narrative on how effectively embedded the third sector is through the LAGs in the programme round or in current plans for In the majority of areas, Local Authorities are leading the process for applying as a LAG, and whilst in some areas this has been done in partnership with or with the support of the local third sector infrastructure body the picture of engagement and depths of the partnership between local authorities and the third sector locally is very variable. NTP CVS for example have reported close involvement in the process locally. They are part of the local Regeneration Partnership and the LAG and they have contributed to the Expression of Interest and will remain in the process as it moves forward. In other areas 7

8 the picture appears more mixed. One CVC Chief Officer reported that the CVC has not yet been engaged by the Local Authority (who led the LAG in the previous round) though they had been involved in the past. In some areas, CVCs have tacitly given their support to the LA led initiative currently, but have reported feeling the need to put down strong markers to indicate that support cannot and should not be taken as endorsement for a business as usual approach (described by one CVC Chief Officer as a delivery model with the hallmarks of a partnership but in reality being effectively council controlled for the programming period). In another case, the formal partnership between the CVC and the Local Authority led LAG in the programming period led to the partnership effectively breaking down once the degree of council control became apparent resulting in the local CVC resigning from the LAG as the then Chair. This has left a legacy of ill will and low trust; as a consequence the CVC remains disengaged from the current process of engagement. 3 Some third sector organisations in the area remained involved but these organisations have stated that bureaucracy around reporting, funding and claims were barriers (which also often seriously affected the cash flow of the organisations). In some cases local authorities are effectively seen as being in competition with the sector but the relationships are not equal with local authorities seen as holding all the power and resources. There are fears that these tensions could worsen rather than diminish in the current climate and work against encouraging greater partnership working, when ironically it is needed now more than ever. There is a potential disconnect between the rhetoric (and ambition of the final consultation document) with its intentions for transformational change, and the reality that in some cases local authorities appear to be in protection mode, particularly because regionalisation is also on the cards. In those areas where the relationship between the local CVC and local authority is not where it needs to be, CVCs expressed the view that the key to establishing a good and productive working relationship moving forward lies in proactive engagement by the local authority, with the third sector being treated as equal partners, a commitment to transparency and sharing and pooling of resources. The RDP in the period has rightly or wrongly tended to be perceived by the third sector as a relatively closed shop between the farmers, LAGS, LEADER groups and the Local Authorities. With the largest amounts of money allocated to the Farmers via Axis 1 and 2 there are relatively small amounts under Axis 3 and 4 with the majority of this having gone to the LEADER groups. Similarly there has never been any real promotion or support or easy method of access for community organisations to get involved. Under the current funding round ( ), WCVA facilitated meetings between the CVCs, Welsh officials and local authorities to try to open it up and ensure that those CVCs who wanted to get involved with the LAGs were able to do so. But this met with limited success in large part because the LAGs and Welsh Government whilst saying the right things did not enable the equal involvement of the third sector. 3 In this case, the officers of the LAG were local authority employees and it was heavily led by the local authority. Trust was further eroded because during the business planning process third sector organisations were invited to put forward ideas for consideration (including some projects that were already running successfully and could have been rolled out in other rural areas). The plan was successful and approved by Welsh Government but then the projects were tendered out by the local authority and won by the local authority causing an outcry at the time. The complexities of the RDP meant that the LAG members were reliant on local authority officers giving information and there was a feeling that the information provided was not as open or full as it might have been. 8

9 These issues will need to be addressed if the RDP for the period is to do things differently. Swansea as a case study of best practice One particularly good example of best practice and effective partnership working between the local authority and the third sector emerged in Swansea. The ingredients of success there could potentially be learnt and applied more generally. The Swansea Rural Development Partnership is responsible for the delivery of a EU programme to promote the economic regeneration of rural areas and it is based on the quarters principle and involves key stakeholders from the public, private, voluntary and community sectors of the 8 rural areas of the City and County of Swansea. To access funding from the RDP, Swansea needed a local strategy and this was the first task of the Swansea Rural Development Partnership. This strategy fits with Swansea 2020, the Council broader Economic Regeneration Strategy which provides the overarching framework for economic regeneration moving forward. The Swansea approach combines three key pillars: Committed and genuine partnership working; Effective strategic action linked to and integrated with the wider economic regeneration strategy for the City and County, and the Local Authority s approach to tackling poverty; Supported by Rural Swansea Action, a membership organisation established to facilitate and deliver partnership projects as a public-private partnership with economic and social partners, as well as other civil society representatives making up over 50% of the group. The feedback we received from third sector stakeholders in Swansea supports research conducted under the auspices of the Third Sector Anti Poverty Programmes Taskforce where we have conducted two surveys with CVCs and local authorities about their approach to tackling poverty and their perceptions of relationships with key stakeholders. This is currently being written up but in Swansea, we found a close fit and strategic alignment between the work of the CVC and the Local Authority with a clear vision and strategy for tackling poverty. This it would appear provides the overarching context for the RDP and augurs well for the future in Swansea and suggests that there might be further learning here to consider for replication elsewhere on key ingredients for success.. There are other positive lessons to be learnt from the current programming period. One is that when third sector organisations are involved in delivery, they do so with notable successes. The RDP Advisory Panel in its advice to the Minister acknowledged the importance of recognising the experience and capabilities of the 3 independent Local Action Groups (PLANED, Mentor Mon, and Cadwyn Clwyd). 4 Significantly, third sector LAGs (PLANED, Menter Mon and Cadwyn Clwyd) also appear to have involved CVCs as 4 The RDP Advisory Group also acknowledged the fears that existed in advance of the final consultation that CLLD under current plans to align Structural Funds to rural regeneration elements of the RDP would risk producing regionally based grant funds presided over by partnerships who would distribute funds to institutions carrying out projects on a case by case basis. In other words, CLLD would mean little more than devolving funds to regional strategies. 9

10 stakeholders in partnership arrangements, enabling third sector voice, alongside their role in delivery. Dynamics between the LAG and sponsor body, and LAG membership are critical. As noted above, there are examples of where this process is working effectively, and other examples where this is not working so effectively. Looking to the period, WCVA on behalf of the sector would wish to emphasise five key points in this area. 1. The importance of third sector representation and voice as part of effective community engagement. The lessons of the past, and the intelligence we have gathered about the current process and preparations for the round suggests that there is work to be done by local authorities to more proactively engage the local third sector, to ensure that third sector voice is embedded and the sector is treated as an equal and valued partner especially in those areas where low trust or poor relations in the programming round needs to be overcome. In this respect, we agree with the RDP Advisory Group which advised the Minister in advance of the final consultation document that the role of the trusted local intermediary is vital in ensuring the third sector voice and footprint is effectively embedded. CVCs are well placed to play this role where independent or third sector led LAGs are not operating and should be involved as LAG stakeholders (regardless of the delivery model in operation). 2. The importance of the third sector s role in delivery if the benefits of the LEADER approach and LAGs are to be fully realised. The form this takes can be flexible but supporting the development and growth of community hubs should be part of an effective strategy for rural regeneration. The Rural Community Development Fund is an important component, creating an alternative funding source to facilitate grass roots community interventions. 3. The importance of effective collaboration and knowledge sharing within the sector to support the sector more broadly given the emerging regional footprints as the collaboration and regionalisation agenda gathers pace. 4. Concern has been expressed that the larger the area the less third sector locally based community organisations will be involved in the process particularly as a delivery partner. This fear or anxiety has been acknowledged by the RDP Advisory Group in its advice to the Minister. There are fears that current plans to align Structural Funds to the rural regeneration elements of the RDP risks producing regionally based grant funds presided over by partnerships who will distribute funds to institutions carrying out projects on a case by case basis will dilute the innovative aspect of CLLD, and that CLLD could come to mean little more than devolving funds to regional strategies. 5. A strategic commitment of behalf Welsh Government, Local Authorities and the third sector is required to manage change and bring all stakeholders along to ensure that the connectivity to the grass roots and local communities is effectively maintained. The role of the third sector infrastructure WCVA and the CVCs becomes more critical than ever if access routes for local and community based organisations are to be facilitated. 10

11 12. The Rural Community Development Fund It is vital that the third sector footprint is effectively embedded both in design and delivery if the potential for transformational change of the rural economy is to be realised and if CLLD and the LEADER approach is to be the catalyst and driver for this. As noted, the dynamics between the LAG and the sponsor body are critical as is LAG membership. The proposed Rural Community Development Fund creates another potential channel for facilitating effective grass roots third sector and community action and acting as a local enabler running in parallel to the proportion of the LEADER budget set aside for LAGs. WCVA strongly supports the proposal for the Rural Community Development Fund. We believe that this fund has the potential to facilitate local community and third sector action. We also see it as complementing LAGs and further facilitating grass roots community engagement at a time when the pressures might be working against this. As one third sector respondent put it: I worry that local authorities always lead on these anti poverty programmes and have their own agenda s projects and resource gaps to fill first and foremost, and do not join up but work in isolation of other providers and programmes...i believe strongly in our area that the third sector providers are closer to the communities and more in touch with citizen and service user needs. 13. Funding Allocations It would appear there is less money for LEADER and RCDF than there is under the current RDP arrangements. WCVA on behalf of the sector believes that more resources should be moved into this field, and particularly into the RCDF measure, to ensure that there are adequate resources to effectively support the wider range of priorities proposed for the measure. The current proposal is for 10% of funding to go to LEADER and local development with a minimum 5% to the LAGs. In our view, it is vital that the funding allocations between LAGs and the Rural Community Development Fund remain equal not least because the Rural Community Development Fund can support and facilitate the effective embedding of third sector and grass roots activity. At the consultation event in mid Wales, there was a suggestion that the LAGs should receive 7% of the allotted funds, because there are more of them this round. This would leave only 3% for the Rural Community Development Fund. WCVA would not support any increase in the budget allocation to LAGs and we recommend that as a minimum the funding allocations remains as proposed in the consultation document ie 5% for LAGs and 5% for the Rural Community Development Fund. We also recommend that the proposed delivery model for the Rural Community Development Fund allows for the detail and length of the application process to be proportionate to the amount of funding applied for ie it is not to use the same process for applying for 10k or 1million. Unless the system is simple, accessible and proportionate and not overly bureaucratic, the benefits of the Rural Community Development Fund could be lost and with it the bottom up and innovative approach intended to be fostered by LEADER could be undermined as a consequence. 11

12 14. The strategic importance of national coordination and knowledge intermediaries WCVA sees a central role for the Rural Wales Network in communicating and encouraging best practice, and facilitating the cross fertilisation of ideas and experience. The Rural Wales Network has a crucial leadership role for and should act as a clearing house to promote rural best practice and share knowledge, working in close partnership with WEFO (and the Welsh Government s Programmes Board given its strategic focus on operational implementation of the tackling poverty action plan). It should also connect with other key stakeholders including the new What Works Centre with its focus on initiatives to tackle poverty. In our previous submissions, WCVA and the Third Sector Anti Poverty Programmes Taskforce emphasised the importance of ensuring alignment and connectivity between the RDP, ESF and ERDF and of the need to address the rural dimension. We therefore welcome the fact that a Rural Adviser will soon be joining the WEFO Cross Cutting Themes team and will be advising on the RDP alongside Structural Funds. We firmly believe that intelligence needs to be shared about best practice across the different European funds (and beyond) to ensure that we are spreading ideas, expertise and know how as widely and efficiently as possible. It is vitally important there is a forum for bringing together best practice across the CCTs and in a rural context. This will require close working and collaboration between WEFO s Cross Cutting Themes team, the Wales Rural Network and also WCVA on behalf of the third sector. As the national infrastructure organisation for the third sector, WCVA (working closely with CVCs) is keen to play its role in acting as a clearing house for sharing best practice about sector led initiatives to tackle rural poverty and promote effective rural economy economic development. WCVA s aim is to pool knowledge and expertise with the Wales Rural Network and WEFO in support of EU ambitions for effective knowledge transfer and innovation and we would hope to do so in a way that straddles the interface between policy and practice, strategy and operational delivery, and which captures and shares local, and regional knowledge effectively in a national context. 15. Knowledge transfer, innovation, technical advice and assistance In line with the EU Commission s vision to have knowledge transfer and innovation actions at the forefront of the RDP it is vital that knowledge is shared and dispersed as widely as possible. As noted above, as a sector we endorse and support the broader role and vision outlined for the Rural Wales Network moving forward into the programming period as part of knowledge transfer and supporting social innovation. We also hope that the RWN will establish a strong relationship with WCVA as the overarching national infrastructure body for the sector. However, if we are to ensure that third sector best practice travels well across European funds (and crucially across all other Welsh Government programmes and initiatives and that the learning around cross cutting themes is shared and applied more broadly) we firmly believe that the third sector itself is best placed to capture and share the knowledge of its activity and innovation in this area working in close partnership with the Rural Wales 12

13 Network, WEFO and the Welsh Government s Programme Board for Tackling Poverty and other external stakeholders as appropriate. We recommend that consideration should be given to release a proportion of the funds allotted for technical advice and assistance to enable WCVA to provide additional advice and assistance to the third sector on the RDP in the Currently WCVA is funded through WEFO to provide technical advice and assistance in relation to ESF and ERDF but there is no specific funding for the RDP. In our view, this strategic capacity gap should be addressed for to ensure the widest possible transfer of knowledge and innovation. We recommend that a proportion of technical assistance is set aside for third sector technical advice and assistance specifically in relation to the RDP. This would enable WCVA to expand its offer to the sector in terms of rural policy and programme development, information, advice, support and training. A technical advice and assistance contract with the third sector at the national level and as part of the third sector infrastructure could combine powerfully with an enhanced and clarified role for the Rural Wales Network and the strengthened WEFO CCTs team to ensure that the LAGs and LEADER approach becomes the kind of Laboratory for change envisaged in the RDP document. It will also ensure that best practice in the RDP can be effectively disseminated and applied across European Programmes and other Welsh Government funded programmes thus meeting EU objectives for knowledge transfer and promotion of social innovation. Conclusion WCVA on behalf of the sector welcomes the opportunity to comment on the final proposals for the Rural Development Plan Alongside this overarching narrative response, we refer Welsh Government officials to our earlier substantive response and to our written response to the specific questions asked as part of this consultation which has been filed alongside this response. We would be happy to meet and discuss any aspect of our response (and the earlier responses for 2013) with colleagues in Welsh Government and beyond. Please contact us using the details below if you would like to discuss this response further or offer any further opportunities to engage with this work. Helen Wilkinson Senior Policy Officer European Cohesion Policy & Anti-Poverty WCVA hwilkinson@wcva.org.uk April 2014 ENDS 13

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