Stakeholder Steering Group

A Stakeholder Steering Group was set up in the summer of 2008. The role of the Steering Group is to assist the Rural Research and Strategy Partners to connect effectively with organisations, which consider themselves as having a remit for aspects of rural policy delivery in the South East of England. It further serves as an interface between the stakeholder and research community.

The Stakeholders' Steering group (SSG) will:

  1. Seek to articulate, to the research community, the priorities of the 'rural stakeholders';
  2. Seek to identify key groups or individuals within specific sectors or topics, to assist the research community to undertake knowledge transfer to rural stakeholders;
  3. Seek to connect researchers with funding opportunities to address specific rural topics that lack key evidence and which may benefit from new research;
  4. Promote the capabilities and reputation of the RRSP partners to potential funders of research or other influential figures;
  5. Comment by correspondence on key RRSP documents (such as the RRSP Business Plan);
  6. Make best efforts to participate in the annual Stakeholders' event arranged by RRSP;
  7. The Chair or her deputy will make best efforts to attend key meetings of the Partners to which they are invited; and
  8. Review its progress annually to include a review of its remit and methods of working.

Membership

Membership is open to any organisation with a rural remit which feels it can contribute to, and benefit from, SSG membership. Membership currently comprises:-

Chair: Jacinta Thorley – Chief Executive, South East Rural Community Councils
Gill Cameron-Waller (Wealden District Council)
Chris Ragg (Institute of Directors)
Secretary: Anja Ueberjahn-Tritta (Partnership Co-ordinator)

Members may nominate deputies to attend meetings in their place. Nominated deputies will have the same status as members at the meetings they attend.

Other individuals may be invited to attend as required, having been agreed in advance of the meeting by the chair.

Frequency of meetings

The group will hold at least two meetings per annum.

Quorum

Chair + 50% of membership + one partners' representative (host of meeting)(to be reviewed if membership expands significantly).

Reporting

The minutes and action points of the SSG’s meetings will be reported to the partners' advisory group.