Corporate Strategy & Plan

1. Corporate Strategy & Plan David Wood Regional Development Officer Contact: 01473 242500 or RuralActionEast@suffolkacre.org.uk

2. Agenda • Overview role of Rural Action East • Vision • Regional role • Successes 2002-03 • Issues • Corporate Strategic Objectives • Business Plan 2003-04 the regional voice for the rural community

3. Vision RuralAction East is the leading voice for rural community development in the Eastern Region; the catalyst for building & sustaining a thriving rural community where people can live and work in a quality environment the regional voice for the rural community

4. Role of Rural Action East #1 Advocacy • Regional voice for rural communities • Key Regional Bodies • Membership; Partnership; Liaison • Marketing / Publicity • Policy Definition the regional voice for the rural community

5. Role of Rural Action East #2 Regionalisation • Coordination and collaboration of RCCs • Collection & aggregation of data • Consistent approach to activities • Best practice; Re-use • Regional projects & contracts the regional voice for the rural community

6. What Rural Action East isn’t! • No management link to RCCs • Independent charities • Autonomous management • Separate objectives & business plans • Not a replacement nor alternative to RCCs • Maintain their own relationships to external bodies the regional voice for the rural community

7. Successes 2002-03 • External profile • AGM, Conference, Reports • Meetings GO East, Countryside Agency, EEDA, COVER, ACRE, RCC Boards • Awareness – Name, logo, branding • Appointment of RDO • Funding through to 2005 • Policy definition process • Improvements in Board & formal procedures • Contract tenders the regional voice for the rural community

8. Issues • Relative prioritisation • Rural Action East Vs RCC • Regional understanding by staff & trustees • RCC networks and joint projects • Sustainable funding the regional voice for the rural community

9. Strategic Aims • To contribute to setting of regional policy development & delivery programmes • To be recognised as default regional representative for rural communities • To be the partner of choice by regional bodies • To develop an effective regional perspective to work of RCCs • To develop a sustainable & effective Rural Action East the regional voice for the rural community

10. Strategic Objectives

11. Management Approach • Three year rolling plan • Public domain for support of Rural Action East marketing • Each objective owned by Board member • First year forms basis for Business Plan • Detailed activity & time scales • Internal private document • Progress review at each Board meeting the regional voice for the rural community

12. Advocacy - Nick Shuttleworth • Year 1 • Effective communication channel • Measurable policy changes • Organisation membership • Year 2 • Build effective network with key organisations • Measurable policy & delivery changes • Year 3 • Engagement with all key organisations across the region the regional voice for the rural community

13. Marketing Plan – Jean Beswarick • Year 1 • Raise general awareness of Rural Action East • Raise knowledge & understanding within key organisations • Ensure consistent use of Rural Action East brand • Year 2 • Review & revise marketing strategy the regional voice for the rural community

14. Regional Projects – John Dixon • Year 1 • Identify areas for collaboration from existing work • Seek funding for two projects • Year 2 • Identify work for collaboration from new topics • Seek funding for two projects • Year 3 • Identify work for collaboration from new topics • Seek funding for two projects the regional voice for the rural community

15. Regional Collaboration – Wil Gibson • Year 1 • Review & revise staff regional networks • Identify work topics for regional working • Year 2 • Review & revise framework for regional networks • Year 3 • Review & revise framework for regional networks the regional voice for the rural community

16. Develop Rural Action East as Organisation – David Spreadbury Manage & exploit regional data from RCCs – David Wood • Year 1 • Review & revise existing data • Improve process for data collection • Exploit data in advocacy & projects • Year 2 • Agree consistent SLAs which support regional aggregation the regional voice for the rural community

17. Develop Rural Action East as Organisation – David Spreadbury Review business model of Rural Action East & RCCs – David Wood • Year 1 • Feasibility study for back office systems • Business case to implement recommendations • Year 2 • Implement new back office provision • Review options for central purchasing • Year 3 • Review business model of Rural Action East & relationship to RCCs the regional voice for the rural community

18. Develop Rural Action East as Organisation – David Spreadbury Enhance skills of all staff – Beryl Sutton • Year 2 • Explore opportunities for secondment in Rural Action East • Arrange suitable secondment into Rural Action East • Year 3 • Arrange suitable secondment into Rural Action East the regional voice for the rural community

19. Outcome • Vibrant effective & efficient organisation • Sustainable funding • Partner / Member of key organisations • Portfolio of policy statements • Mutually agreed regional perspective to RCC work • Productive staff networks the regional voice for the rural community