WIREDGOV

The Commission for Rural Communities was set up to promote awareness of rural needs amongst decision makers across and beyond Government. In June 2010, the Secretary of State announced that the CRC was to be abolished and that Defra’s internal rural policy capacity was to be expanded to create a Rural Communities Policy Unit (RCPU).  The first stage of this transition will be completed by 31 March 2011.  By this time, the CRC will have significantly reduced its staffing levels and the scale of its operation, some of its work and staff having transferred into the Rural Communities Policy Unit (RCPU).

From 1 April 2011, the CRC’s statutory functions of Advice, Advocacy and Watchdog will be carried out by the Commissioners supported by a very small flexible team.  The streamlined CRC will act as a critical friend to the new unit and will carry out a significantly slimmed down work programme to complement the RCPU’s business plan.

The streamlined CRC will have a new website and address by 1 April 2011 – crc.defra.gov.uk – in readiness for the new ways of working.

This website is now being archived, so that our work and evidence base from the last five years may continue to be accessed and used by our many stakeholders and partners.