Staffordshire Hub Development Strategy 2009 - 13
Our Vision - Opening doors to Enterprise; Innovation; Guidance
History and Profile - Staffordshire Rural Hub was established in 2004, after the creation of Rural Hubs in Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire. Following the effects of FMD, Staffordshire Rural Forum had recognised the necessity for a network for rural businesses, agricultural and non agricultural; and the Hub was set up originally under the umbrella of the County Council. As of 2009 it has its own offices generously made available by Staffordshire & Birmingham Agricultural Society and located on the County Showground; and operates with two part time staff. Its current income is substantially derived from the Regional Development Agency (AWM) for front line delivery of the Rural Development (RDPE) programme in Staffordshire.
Membership has risen this year to over 1400 members, made up of farming and rural businesses, public sector supporters and working partners. The Hub elects a Chairman and Vice Chairman annually from the body of the membership. An Executive, supported by a steering committee made up from elected and co-opted members, is responsible for the management of SRH affairs.
Supporting Business Clusters - AWM’s Regional Economic Strategy 2009 – 2012 has a strong emphasis on developing regional networks of business clusters (see AWM Cluster Programme 2008 –11), to help grow regional industries in order to exploit markets and create jobs. Benefits range from technology transfer and skills development to product innovation and overseas trade. Among business clusters considered as priorities are business and professional services, environmental technologies, food and drink, ICT, and tourism and leisure, in all of which the Rural Hubs have a role to play.
The Hub supports and encourages various groups, sector driven and responsive to industry needs as they arise. There is good reason to strengthen connections between the Hub and the cluster opportunity groups (COGs): the Hub has a key role in rural proofing business cluster activities and in ensuring reach out to businesses in rural locations. Rural Hubs satisfy a significant element of AWM RES strategy, in terms of rural proofing and the specifics of the rural economy.
Working with Public Sector Partners - The Hub is aligned to the Staffordshire Rural Forum and has a strong working relationship with Staffordshire County Council, local authorities, with many agencies and government departments. The Hub can represent private business sector interests in a wide range of EU, national, regional and local agendas for: environment and climate change, industry, agriculture, tourism, health, community, forestry, all land based industries, revenue and taxation, training and education - amongst others. One of the strengths of the Hub is its unparalleled facility to signpost between people and organisations.
Staffordshire and Rural Hubs West Midlands Ltd. - RHWM was incorporated in February 2008, as a ‘not for profit’ Company Limited by Guarantee. It is a collaborative group that includes and represents the interests of the Rural Hubs, within Warwickshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire. RHWM Board of Directors comprises the Chairs of the Rural Hubs. It was formed to assist in fulfilling the changing roles of the individual rural hubs, brought about by regionalisation. Advantage West Midlands (AWM) Regional Implementation Plan (R I P) details the future distribution of funds and the key role of hubs. The structure enables each hub to continue to have a local focus and address local needs, whilst also able to have regional and national representation.
Our Mission Statement - Grounded in the region’s rural issues, concerns, attitudes and aspirations, we are delivering distinctive services and benefits that are relevant to communities, businesses, government and individuals; which are highly valued, attract viable levels of funding, which no other players can provide. We offer these services and benefits through our national, regional and local partnerships and networks, and deliver them by means of the Hub’s rural team of staff and volunteers.
To achieve our Mission Statement we will focus on 8 Strategic Goals
1. To be the preferred point of contact for business, government and individuals on rural economic issues
2. To identify, co-ordinate, support and deliver opportunities for business creation and development
3. To add value to the delivery of RDPE and other funded projects
4. To be the delivery arm of Staffordshire Rural Forum
5. To lead the engagement of key partners and stakeholders, for increased cohesion and effective delivery of services to rural businesses
6. To create a compliant model for service delivery
7. To have developed a high reputation for knowledge exchange
8. To become a sustainable and self funding organisation
Operational Plan to achieve our eight strategic goals
1 The preferred point of contact for business, government and individuals, on rural economic issues; raising awareness of new opportunities for rural businesses particularly farming and food production opportunities.
Through demonstration and advocacy visits with agencies and government departments, meetings with politicians, relevant to priority themes and issues facing the Staffordshire rural economy: using events, activities and shows where appropriate; working through our partnerships, including the Think Food & Farming Group, for which we provide the regional secretariat.
Through promoting the successes of the RDPE; and particular funding opportunities to potential applicants through the range of media including newsletters and our website; meetings, clinics, on farm visits; press releases/newsletters placed with partner organisations and businesses signposting to the hub’s services.
2 We will identify, co-ordinate, support business creation and development
- Arrange speakers for 12+ events/courses per annum; Green Futures workshops, hub clinics, farm visits, shows, markets: to disseminate regulation updates, RDPE information, Business Link offers; diversification openings
- Development of business clusters: farm retail; vet group; care farming group
- IT hot desking for use by colleagues and for training
- Extend Shropshire Buy Local website to Staffordshire;
- Extension of ACORNS
3 We will add value to delivery of RDPE and other funded projects and ensure effective management of any grants, through:
- Work with AWM teams, to initiate new programme activity. Advise on identified needs within key sectors: eg large farm retail; livestock; on-farm visits; joint industry briefings
- Systematic information exchange with: REG, Lantra, BL, HEFF, County Councils; FC; identify and support best practice and knowledge exchange between rural businesses and these partners
- First point contact, person-to-person signposting.
- Ensuring synergy and best practice: between projects, avoidance of duplication, encouraging additionality.
- ‘Lead hub’ approach for key areas of work and x regional activities
- Provide/facilitate training development and networking, with LANTRA et al
- Promote good practice case studies
- Cross regional/county livestock, CLA/NFU, vet groups to advise on priorities.
- Press, newsletters, website; joint clinics; events; displays
- Hub as a reference point for applicants to SIG, REG, Animal Health, Leader
4 To be a delivery arm of Staffordshire Rural Forum
- Formalise Forum working relationship in joint annual statement
- Widen contact between the Forum, business, government and individuals, on rural economic issues; raise awareness of opportunities for rural businesses.
- Leader Local Action Group membership – active participation
5 We will lead the engagement of key partners and stakeholders, for increased cohesion and effective delivery of services to rural businesses
- Identify and support best practice and knowledge exchange between rural businesses and partners: 12 minimum events required per annum
- Hub on key committees/organisations eg Staffordshire Business Consortium
- With Business Link provide signposting and access to business support, funding and to finance opportunities. Includes open invitation to BL at Hub stands at events/shows; joint clinics and BL supported training events; articles
- Monitoring BL as fit for purpose and appropriate for needs of clients (feedback from referrals and report back to BL)
- Ensure strategic focus of RDPE is understood by partners and businesses. Includes RICS; WFU, NFU, YFC etc; Delivery Groups for front line delivery
- Joint show stands, events and courses
- Explore activity with Staffordshire Agricultural Society
- Hub representation on partners’ decision making groups/committees
- Trading standards/animal health – close working and shared show stand
- Natural England; EA; etc – arrange a programme of meetings
- Open invitation to organisations to make use of Hub offices
6 To maintain a compliant model for service delivery; developing and operating a structure of governance that ensures the effective delivery of hub objectives
- Ensure maximum attention to equal opportunity and diversity
- Involvement in National Care Farmers Initiative (NCFI) (subject to funding)
- Compliance with a full suite of protocols and procedures for the Hub
- Ensure and maintain requisite MOUs and SLAs to ensure conformity.
- Committee buy in to shared vision, strategy and delivery and actions required
- Ensure compliance with Staffordshire Rural Hub Constitution
- Robust financial accounts to ensure transparent audit trails, systems reviewed with Chairman and Financial Manager
- Quarterly operational reports as required by AWM, monitoring and reviewing performance of the progress against key projects, initiatives and milestones
- Delivering any RDPE projects for which the hub is responsible in accordance with established AWM and EU requirements
- Making the database fit for purpose is a priority; its functionality within the website is critical. It is the heart of what we do and what we are.
7 To have developed a high reputation for knowledge exchange
(See Marketing Strategy below)
8 To become a sustainable and self funding organisation
- Actively seek project work from private and public revenue sources appropriate to strategic goals and objectives identified in the Business Plan.
- Ensure appropriate funding to support proportionate staffing; and that the staffing is sufficient both to meet the aspirations of the development plan and to support the work of the Hub’s volunteers.
- Grow membership by 100 pa
- Develop volunteering opportunities
- Offer periodic training to volunteers
- Review and refresh executive and steering committees annually pre AGM
- Approve strategic and operational plans. Reviews at each committee
- Maintain a schedule of volunteer representation and activity undertaken
- Identify volunteer specialisms for specific activities and steering committee
- Review and adjust committee representations on outside bodies
- ‘Beef up’ AGM to attract wide member attendance with keynote speaker
- Administration: improve database function; systems for recording enquiries and actions; rewrite joining forms, ‘satisfaction sheets; external representation lists; track back and reporting sheets for volunteers
OUR VALUES STATEMENT
Taking Responsibility
Operating ethically and with integrity.
Taking on our social responsibility and promoting the same in others.
Protecting human and physical resources; minimising waste at all levels.
Offering Quality
In the goods and services we provide; procedures we adopt; suppliers we use; staff we employ; businesses we support; partners we work with; in the
implementation of our performance indicators; our organisational structure and our steering group.
We are straightforward and clear; trustworthy, reliable and helpful
Valuing Relationships
We value and rely completely on the strength of our relationships with all those with whom we live and work.
We believe in mutually beneficial partnerships and relationships and strive to exceed the expectation of our partners.
We foster a transparent culture of discussion and debate within the organisation and in our external relationships.
Ensuring Future Growth
Inspirational - we create new possibilities.
