NERAF has two key objectives - this project was undertaken in support of the second objective.

• Project Dates: 2006
• Project Leader: Jane Atterton
• Staff: Jane Atterton and Liz Charles
• Sponsors: North East Rural Affairs Forum

The common purpose of the North East Rural Affairs Forum (NERAF) is to be "an independent Forum championing the interests of rural communities in the North East". The Forum has two key objectives:

• To have a positive impact on rural delivery by contributing to the rural proofing, and influencing the development, of regional and national policies; and

• To be the recognised rural customer voice of the region.

This project was undertaken in support of the second objective, to ensure that NERAF had robust mechanisms in place to engage with, and gather the views of, end users. The first phase of this project had four aims:

1. To identify those networks, databases and consultation arrangements which already exist in the region which the Forum could usefully interface with;
   
   
2. To comment on the scope of those arrangements (e.g. dissemination or two-way consultation, issues addressed, client base, geographical coverage);
   
   
3. To determine whether the 'owners' of the arrangements would be receptive to being part of the Forum's consultation process - what action would be necessary?
   
   
4.  To highlight which customer/interest groups do not appear to be covered by the existing arrangements and suggest how these gaps could be filled.

Based on the recommendations made in Phase I, a decision would be taken by NERAF on how to progress with the database in Phase II of the project.