Rural Action Zone pathfinder

The Peak District was selected by the Government as one of eight national Rural Delivery Pathfinders. The aim of the Pathfinder is to explore and test new ways of delivering services and support to rural communities and how to target available resources more effectively. The Pathfinder initiative was funded by Defra for the period 2005 to 2007.

The focus of our Pathfinder, which is the sole Pathfinder for the East Midlands, was to enhance access to services and funding which support business and community enterprise in rural areas.

The Pathfinder area is the Peak District Rural Action Zone (RAZ) which comprises the districts of Derbyshire Dales and High Peak (East Midlands), significant parts of Staffordshire Moorlands and a small part of East Staffordshire (West Midlands). Together these districts house 93% of the population of the Peak District National Park. The Pathfinder area has a population of 175,000 and covers 1,750 km2.

We are focused on three main projects:

• a single contact centre for business advice and support (telephone and web based)
• opportunities for co-locating key services for business and community enterprises
• simplification of the advice and grant-giving 'maze'.