The Essex Rural Partnership (ERP) was formed in 2002, the result of a merger between the Essex Rural Renewal Forum and the Essex Rural Strategy Steering Group. Since 2012 ERP has been a member of Defra’s Rural and Farming Network.
The Partnership, managed by Rural Community Council of Essex (RCCE), and chaired by Cllr Graham Butland, brings together a wide range of organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors, all with a responsibility for the future of the county’s rural areas. The ERP’s Vice Chairs are Philip Wilson and Mr Roger Hirst.
ERP was created to encourage co-ordination of activities to maximise effectiveness of resources and a joint-working approach to achieve greater buy-in, a better chance of securing funding and best value. As a result, local communities, rural businesses and the Essex countryside are benefiting from a more effective way of working.
As a non-statutory body, ERP enjoys the position of being an independent lobbyist and is well placed to represent and raise the profile of rural Essex at a local, regional, national and EU level.
In 2005 the Partnership was re-launched and, in order to identify the partner’s priorities, a revised Strategy was published. This was further updated in our 2009 Strategy: 2020 Vision for Rural Essex.
Information on the current Essex Rural Strategy 2016-2020 and the latest news regarding the refresh 2020-2024 can be found here
Email: info@essexruralpartnership.org.uk
Phone: 01376 574330
Website: www.essexruralpartnership.org.uk
