New Government study attempts to find a way forward
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The European Commission has long recognized the problems associated with peripheral regions but a great deal more could be done by policy-makers to understand the challenges and opportunities of peripherality in the UK, and to foster an ethos of “joined-up government”.
This is the conclusion of an 18 month study commissioned by the UK Government’s Department of Environment Transport and the Regions which will be launched on Tuesday 6 June at a seminar at the Royal Town Planning Institute Headquarters in London.
The report has been written by researchers from both the University of Aberdeen and Cardiff University. The project was jointly led by Dr Mark Tewdwr-Jones of Aberdeen’s European Urban and Regional Research Centre, and by Sean White of Cardiff’s Department of City and Regional Planning at Cardiff University.
The researchers commenced their study by asking “peripheral to what?” and by questioning what are the key factors that are not present in, or inaccessible to, a particular area which create a sense of isolation or peripherality, In the course of their research, the Aberdeen and Cardiff researchers identified five factors that are essential in identifying, measuring and responding to the problems of peripheral regions. These were peripherality to: main transport networks; main urban centres; political decision making; economic opportunities; and social opportunities and social inclusion.
Dr Tewdwr-Jones explained: “We have tried to demonstrate the relevance of peripherality for regions of the UK and highlight the key characteristics of these regions so that policy processes may be targeted more closely to their needs”.
UK areas studied as part of the project were Cornwall and Devon; West Wales; and the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. In Europe, Galicia in Northern Spain; Galway, Roscommon and Mayo in the West of Ireland; and East Finland were used as European comparisons.
The report highlights the fact that peripheral regions of the UK have long recognised the significance of the concept of peripherality in EU terms for funding purposes. An example of this is the work of the Highlands and Islands Objective 1 partnership in preparing peripherality indices to support Structural Fund applications.
Dr Tewdwr-Jones continued: “It is recognised that the importance of inaccessibility and geographical remoteness are of key importance in defining the problems faced by peripheral regions, and this is supported by previous attempts to measure peripherality.
“Overcoming peripherality has implications for the economic and social well-being of regions since often these areas find it difficult to attract investment, to maintain a diversified economic base, to maintain current levels of (young) population, and to provide and maintain adequate levels of service provision”, Dr Tewdwr-Jones said.
“Distance, isolation and dispersed settlement patterns exacerbate the social and economic problems faced in many areas. But improvements to transport and accessibility, new advances in information technology, the promotion of sustainable development, and the importance of generating social and community inclusion can all be beneficial to peripheral regions.”
“This report should enable policy-makers throughout the UK to consider how best to tackle the problems experienced in peripheral regions”, Dr Tewdwr-Jones explained. “But UK Government departments, government agencies and local government in peripheral locations should no more to respond more effectively in an integrated way through new partnership workings if peripherality is to be tackled effectively.”
The report highlights a number of key policy recommendations for Government departments, and the devolved administrations, as well as other policy-making bodies. The researchers recommend adopting an integral approach to policy-making in peripheral areas which would involve the agencies involved in coordinating sectoral policies aimed at addressing peripherality in each region and by ensuring cooperative working at all levels.
The report also covers a number of key development issues in peripheral areas such as tourism and agriculture, as well as cross-cutting themes such as diversification, integration, devolution and regionalism.