2000s – a new millennium and a decade of increased partnership working and local decision making

The turn of the century saw a further Rural White Paper published “Our Countryside: The Future – A Fair Deal for Rural England”. This provided new funding which enabled Cambridgeshire ACRE to steer local communities to become more actively involved in local decision-making.

The government introduced Regional Development Agencies (RDA) which assumed the powers of the Rural Development Commission meaning regional economic strategies were now required to have a rural dimension. The Countryside Agency was also established with the task of improving the quality of the rural environment and the lives of those living in it. In response to this regional focus, Rural Action East, a federation of rural community councils from across the Eastern Region, was formed.

Leading the Cambridgeshire Rural Forum

Acting on the requirements of the Rural White Paper, Cambridgeshire ACRE led the Cambridgeshire Rural Forum, which had a membership of rural stakeholders who came together through a programme of rural events, conferences and key topic briefings. The Forum published the Cambridgeshire Rural Strategy 2006 – 2010, identifying key rural concerns and priorities. A successful Forum bid to the Rural Development Programme for England, secured £4m of European grant funding for farming, rural business, rural tourism, and the development of basic community services within the county.

Reducing the impact of the Post Office Network Transformation Programme

In response to a massive shift in the way people used post offices, a programme of network change impacted local sub-postmasters, village shop viability and community access to post office services. Cambridgeshire ACRE led local efforts to reduce the impact of the change by heading up a multi-agency group with representatives from business, the Post Office, communities and local government to find new sustainable solutions for the provision of future post office services where they were threatened with closure through the transformation programme.

Investment in community-based transport solutions

Concern regarding diminishing public transport services brought about government investment through the Rural Transport Development Fund. Cambridgeshire ACRE led a partnership of parish councils, voluntary sector organisations, business and local authorities to bring forward new pioneering community-based transport solutions, such as dial-a-ride, taxi fare schemes and wheels to work, a moped loan scheme allowing young people access to work opportunities.

Delivering activities to support healthy eating and cooking skills

The organisation’s ‘Good Food for Cambridgeshire’ project worked with schools and community groups to deliver healthy eating messages through establishing food gardens and cookery workshops. The ‘Carry on Cooking’ project, delivered with Age UK Cambridgeshire, taught older people cooking skills and new recipes with the aim of helping them stay in their own homes for longer.