Why is this useful for rural and remote people?

Rural and remote communities are often the subjects of planning, but not always engaged participants. Communities that want to solve problems often need the space and time to identify the issues for themselves, and explore their own solutions, before policy makers and officials come into the discussion. Officials tend to come to consultations pre-armed with their own ideas about what the problems are, what is causing them and the potential solutions. Communities can end up feeling alienated and excluded in the planning process, and plans may end up incorporating activities that the community does not support, or which would benefit from greater local knowledge. Rural and remote communities looking for answers need not look further than themselves - after all, you are the experts in your town.