"Aspiration to Action....The Rural Manifesto"

*A copy of the 2015 RSN Rural Manifesto can be downloaded here

Day 1

2.00pm - Arrival - tea/coffee and registration

2:30pm - Seminar Session on Devolution – What does it mean for Rural England?

- Maggie Gordon, Scottish Rural Parliament
- Download the presentation here
- Diagram used in the presentation

- Simon Edwards, Director, County Council Network
- Download the presentation here

- Cllr Neil Clarke, Vice Chair of the People and Places Board, Chair of the District Councils Network and the Leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council
- Downoad the presentation here

4:00pm - Break for Refreshments

4:30pm - Finance Seminar – Closing the Funding Gap between Rural and Urban England

- Speaker from Pixel Financial Management – Dan Bates
- Download the presentation here

6:00pm - Afternoon Session Closes

Day 2

9:45am - Arrival tea/coffee and registration

10:15am - Welcome

- Cllr Cecilia Motley, Chair of the Rural Services Network and Rural Spokesperson for Shropshire Council

- Janet Dwyer, Professor of Rural Policy, CCRI, University of Gloucestershire (Conference hosts)

10:40am - Keynote Speaker

- Tony Travers (Director of the London School of Economics and Political Science)
- Download the presentation here

Professor Tony Travers is an eminent and internationally renowned analyst of Local Government. He is an Adviser to the House of Commons Local Government and Educations Select Committees, a Board member of the New Local Government Network and Chair of the Research Board at Centre for Cities. His key research interests cover central and local government policy and finance, including a speciality in all aspects of local government structures, functions and finance.

Non LSE positions held by Tony:

Centre for Cities - Chair of Research Board, House of Commons Communities & Local Government Select Committee - Advisor, House of Commons Education Select Committee- Advisor, New Local Government Network - Board Members

11:20am - Round Table Panel Discussion –  Delivering services in new ways

- Keiran Brett – Former Special Adviser to Tony Blair and Phil Hope, Founder Improving Care

- Dr Gerard McElwee – Professor of Entrepreneurship (University of Huddersfield)

- Peter Bungard – CEO Gloucestershire County Council

12:00pm - Plenary Session – Older People and Viable Villages

- Jo Lavis – Secretary to the Lord Best Review on Rural Affordable Housing
- Download the presentation here

- Lesley Archer – CEO Gloucester Rural Community Council
- Village Agents

- Chris Cowcher – ACRE
- Download the presentation here

12:30pm - Lunch and Networking

1:15pm - Workshop Session 1 – A Choice of :

A   "Rural Housing - Why Bother?" A workshop on the opportunities for effective working between Housing Associations and Local Authorities:
- Grant Mitchell & Charlie Riley 
- Download the presentation here
- John Lefever
-  Download the presentation here
- Sandra Hawke & Brian Cowcher
- Download the presentation here

B   Findings of the National Rural Crime Survey 
- Barrie Sheldon (Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia and a member of the NRCN Executive Board)
-  Download the presentation here

C   "The Challenges and Inspirational Solutions for Rural Dementia 2015"
- Ian Sherriff (Chair of Prime Minister's Rural Dementia Task and Finish Group) 
- Download the presentation here

1:55pm - Workshop Session 2

(Repeat of the above workshops)

2:35pm - Refreshment break

2:50pm - Cllr Mark Hawthorne – Chair of People and Places Board, LGA

- What is the Board doing for Rural Areas?

3:00pm - Plenary Session – The Rural Economy and Broadband

- Helen Briggs (CEO Rutland Council and Lead Officer for the Rural Unitary Group)
- Download the presentation here

- Matt Reed – University of Gloucestershire 
- Download the presentation here

James Derounian – University of Gloucestershire 
- Download the presentation here

3:35pm - Closing Key Note Address –  Key Priorities and Approach of BIG Lottery

- Mark McGann (Director of Knowledge Sharing and Policy of Big Lottery) 

4:00pm - Chair Closing Remarks

- Cllr Cecilia Motley

4:10pm - Conference Closes 

The conference outcomes from delegate responses can be downloaded here