About Us

The South East Rural Towns Partnership has been in existence since 2000, building on experience gained from managing Rural Towns: Rural Life, initially via an SRB programme providing grants to towns and developing a network of support for town partnerships.

In April 2004 SEEDA launched a new programme of £7 million to support small rural towns across the region.

The new programme has been developed together with the regional South East Rural Towns Partnership. Local authorities are key members of the South East Rural Towns Partnership and have also played a significant role.

The new programme recognises the vital role that small towns play and this has been reflected in the Regional Economic Strategy which argued for region-wide support. 


Support for small rural towns includes:

  • Working with national, regional and local agencies to raise the profile and act as a voice for rural towns across the South East.
  • Securing funding from national, regional and local sources to support rural towns.
  • Producing best practice case studies.
  • Running workshops seminars and other events across the South East.
  • Acting as a regional hub for exchange of views and information.
  • Supporting communities to research and investigate issues in their towns in order to position themselves to maximise opportunities for the future.

The partnership includes representatives from each county / unitary authority, together with other agencies who have committed themselves to working positively with local communities and partnerships to deliver improved services and quality of life in rural towns across the region.


SERTP Membership.

SERTP is a strong, cohesive and inclusive partnership with representatives from all counties across the South East. Please visit the Counties section for contact details, further information and links to web sites.


SERTP Management Group

The SERTP Management Group delivers the SERTP Business Plan; this Group consists of representatives form Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Kent.


Key Contacts at The South East Rural Towns Partnership:


The Chair of this Partnership is Frances Stokes

Frances Stokes

Frances is Business Development Manager in the Economic Development Office of Hampshire County Council.

Frances has held this position for 13 years, after previous careers in Marketing and Tourism.  She was an original member of the Rural Towns, Rural Life Partnership ( SERTP’s predecessor ) set up in 1999, which later became the South East Rural Towns Partnership, funded by SEEDA.

Frances served for many years as Vice-Chairman of the Partnership and in 2007 was appointed Chair.

Message from the SERTP Chairman Frances Stokes

"SERTP was set up in 2000 to be the champion for national and regional recognition of the strategic importance of rural towns in the South East, and as a focus for sustainable development in the countryside. I have been a member of SERTP since its inception, and have seen it develop in to a strong, cohesive and inclusive partnership, acting as a catalyst for improvement of our rural towns, but at the same time championing their local distinctiveness and unique role. SERTP now brings together the key agencies working towards the development of small rural towns, providing a focus for all SE Counties to co-ordinate knowledge and good practice exchange.


"We support and encourage local communities in the development of their own town partnerships, and help them secure funds for researching and implementing actions to enable them to thrive. SERTP is the delivery vehicle for SEEDA's £7million Small Rural Towns Programme which has been the spring-board for the development of over 28 regeneration projects in rural towns across the region, with many more at the planning and development stage. Much of the funding for these projects has come from SEEDA ( the South East England Development Agency ) but matching funders have included local authorities, private business and other agencies. Some projects have focussed on new community facilities and the restoration of local civic assets, others on the provision of increased training, business support or physical improvements to the town centre itself. The Case Study section reviews just some of these inspiring projects, most of which have been led by local community representatives, all passionate about their rural town and all determined to make a difference to the lives of people that live there. We welcome your feedback on the work of SERTP and the content of the website so do get in touch."


Tel: 01962 845767

Frances can be reached at the Economic Development Office, Hampshire County Council.

e-mail: frances.stokes@hants.gov.uk

We welcome all enquiries about rural towns within the South East of England to:-

Tim Palmer

County Coordinator

Berkshire Rural Towns 
Coordinator

South East Rural Towns Partnership

CCB

27 Eldon Square

Reading

RG1 4DP

Tel: 
O118 961 2000

e-mail: tim.palmer@ccberks.org.uk


Other Contacts

Social Enterprise South East

Social Enterprise South East (se2partnership) is a regional organisation working for the social enterprise community in the South East of England. Working in partnership with a number of organisations at regional and local level that include the private, public and voluntary sector its aim is to provide a flexible, dynamic and sustainable infrastructure which will most effectively help deliver their vision for a social enterprise sector, that is growing and adding value - focussed on markets and needs within the Region's communities.

For more specific information such as the partnership business and action plans, strategy updates or indeed anything else to do with the Partnership etc. then please contact us: info@se2partnership.co.uk 

Tourism South East

Tourism South East (TSE) is the strategic tourism body tasked with assisting and supporting the tourism industry in South East England. TSE works with tourism businesses, including more than 2,000 members; local, regional and national government; and many other key organisations throughout the UK and internationally, to support the industry and promote the region. 

www.industry.visitsoutheastengland.com provides information, news, advice and contacts for tourism businesses and all organisations working in the sector.

www.visitsoutheastengland.com is the consumer facing website promoting the Region to visitors.

www.ruralways.org.uk is a TSE maintained website for visitors to the rural South East.

Rural towns, villages and communities can build 'Country Breaks' for inclusion on the websites and add them to the site free of charge. Rural businesses and communities can also add their details and events via the Partner content management system