Vision, Purpose and Values
Our Vision is for:
Thriving and sustainable rural communities that contribute fully to the prosperity and well-being of the region
Our Purpose
The West Midlands Rural Affairs Forum speaks up for rural people and places. Our purpose is to do all we can to ensure that the needs and aspirations of West Midland’s rural communities are taken into account in local, regional and national decision-making.
We do this by:
- Acting as a sounding board for rural practitioners and delivery agencies;
- Providing current evidence for Ministerial meetings
- Beinga sounding board for Regional Agencies and Government. Our key Stakeholders are – National Government, CRC, National Agencies; Regional - AWM, GOs, Joint Strategy and Investment Board and West Midlands Leaders Board
- Reflecting the needs and aspirations of rural people;
- Having a common understanding of rural needs across the region
- Understanding where data lies and using it effectively to influence
- Being a conduit for 2-way communication
- Members bringing their community’s issues to the forum and gathering local views, and taking outcomes back
- Presenting these views at national, regional and sub-regional levels, though with the primary effort directed towards the ‘regional’.
- Providing direction, leadership and co-ordination in respect of the regional agenda;
- Understanding the bigger picture and providing regional context
- Identifying the region’s priorities and work with partners to develop solutions
- Understanding how the region operates at regional/ sub-regional / local level
- Providing opportunities for networking and sharing good practice
- Providing the challenge and expertise to ensure effective “Rural proofing”
- Using evidence gathered about needs and aspirations of rural people to ensure that they are reflected in the development and implementation of strategies, policy and programmes
- Using the expertise of Forum members and others to provide challenge and assistance to decision makers
Values - In everything we do we strive to
- demonstrate openness and accountability in all our dealings with each other and with the constituencies that we represent
- build trust by expressing ourselves honestly and by following through on our commitments to the Forum and to each other
- seek ownership of challenges and arrive at solutions by working together
- use the collective resources that we have in ways that will achieve value for money and promote one planet living
We will do this by agreeing and signing up to a clear set of governance protocols; by reviewing these on a bi-annual basis; and by reviewing our progress through our own reporting arrangements and through annual report to our wider constituency of the rural communities of the West Midlands.