The CLA in the South West has described news that Defra is to create a new senior level rural affairs ambassador as a major breakthrough in understanding the challenges facing businesses and communities in rural areas.

The new rural ambassador will work across all government departments with a responsibility to ensure that rural proofing is built into all aspects of government policy. The announcement comes as part of the government’s response to Lord Cameron of Dillington’s review of rural proofing and will mean that the specific needs of the countryside have to be taken into account when ministers make decisions.

CLA South West Director, John Mortimer, says it is an issue the CLA, which represents farmers, landowners and rural businesses, has been campaigning on for many years.

“The challenges faced by people who live and work in the countryside - individuals, families, businesses and whole communities – are very different to those faced by people living and operating in an urban environment. This report will ensure that those differences are now recognised at the very heart of government policy making.”

Challenges such as the inconsistency of infrastructure and service provision, lack of access to mobile and electronic communications, transport and the higher cost base of operating a business in the countryside are among the key issues facing rural businesses.

“We have always argued that economic activity does not end when you leave the 30mph zone – CLA members run no fewer than 250 different types of rural-based businesses, all contributing to the overall economy. That represents a huge and varied amount of economic activity taking place across the countryside and this decision could have a major impact on the business decisions of the future.”

Mr Mortimer said that Lord Cameron, a former CLA President, had done a terrific job of driving the message home at the heart of Government.

“His report makes a clear statement that for rural proofing to work effectively, all government departments need to make rural issues a routine policy consideration. Now the Secretary of State has responded by saying she wants to see rural areas: “fully connected” to the wider economy, with strong conditions for rural growth and a highly skilled rural workforce – and that will be music to the ears of many of our members,” he said.

Defra has committed to a strategy which will embed rural proofing into the formation of all government policy and government departments will need to include information about how their policies have been rural proofed as part of their impact assessment and annual reporting processes.