Catalogue description Development Commission and Rural Development Commission: Operations Directorate: Records

Up to 1996 the Training and Operations Branch reported to the Director of Operations and the Economic/ Countrywide Programmes Branch reported to the Director of Programmes. In 1996 following a management review branches and regions including the Economic Programme Support Section, Training and Enterprise Branch and Social and Rural Services Programme Support Section, all based in Salisbury were absorbed by the Director of Operations.

The Commission worked in partnership with the public, private and voluntary sectors to achieve rural economic and social development. This was done by diversifying the rural economy and combating rural isolation in defined areas of great disadvantage, called Rural Development Areas (previously known as Trigger Areas, Areas of Pull, Pockets of Need and Special Investment Areas).

The were a number of mechanisms used to support economic regeneration: the Rural Development Programme, a strategy led process supported by a work programme later to become an operating plan, reviewed annually; the Rural Challenge Programme, an annual process where bids for funding were submitted, for the first 2 years to the Department of the Environment and thereafter to the Commission; the Redundant Building Grant Scheme; the Business Advisory Service and Loan Fund; Marketing Support which provided both a grant-in-aid scheme and an opportunity for small rural firms to attend trade fairs and exhibitions; the Rural Counselling Grant Scheme which encouraged other agencies to provide additional advice to compliment the Commission's activities in Rural Development Areas; and the Direct Training Programme which provided skills training to both new entrants and practising craftsmen.

The Commission also aimed to raise living standards in rural areas by improving access to jobs, affordable housing and key services and by enhancing the local environment. This was achieved by supporting voluntary networks, by providing selective assistance for specific services such as village Halls, village shops and post offices and rural transport. The Commission also sought to influence those making decisions on these issues at a national level.