Government Offices promote sustainable development, protect the environment and help rural areas. We make sure the policies of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) are implemented and properly integrated with the work of other Government departments.
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Key areas of work include providing strategic direction to the delivery of the Government's Rural Strategy 2004 in the East of England, working with regional partners to ensure implementation of the East of England Delivery Plan for the Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy and ensuring that delivery of the Rural Development Programme for England 2007-13 contributes to an integrated programme of funding and services in support of agreed regional rural priorities and outcomes.
Other areas of the work include:
- Working with regional partners and stakeholders to raise awareness of problems that face rural areas, including social exclusion, and to promote the development of practical solutions.
- Providing support to a number of regional strategic groups including the East of England Rural Forum (EERF).
- Delivering the statutory consultation requirement on Local Authority Development Plans and other planning issues on behalf of Defra.
- Promoting and encouraging best practice within Local Authorities and Local Strategic Partnerships in the development of their Community Strategies, Action Plans and Local Development Frameworks.
- Ensuring that the rural perspective is considered and addressed in regional and sub-regional strategies and in policy, programme or service delivery - a process known as 'rural proofing'.
- Representing Government Office at County Rural Forums and on other regional rural groups.
- Encouraging stakeholders to take appropriate actions to adapt to the likely impacts of climate change.
- Work with partners to encourage a better understanding of natural resources (e.g. energy, waste, water, biodiversity) and how they may be used more rationally.
