Peak District Partnership

Background

The purpose of the Peak District Partnership (PDP), formerly the Local Strategic Partnership for the Derbyshire Dales and High Peak, is to bring together organisations in the Derbyshire Dales and High Peak to provide a single ‘voice’ for the area and focus collective effort on issues best tackled in partnership, adding value to the work of individual agencies.

Since 2012, the Partnership has been chaired by Dr. Peter Dewhurst, who until October 2023 was the University of Derby’s Director of Strategic Projects and who is currently the Chair of Business Peak District. Peter is supported by Vice-Chair, Neil Moulden, Chief Executive of Derbyshire Dales Council for Voluntary Service, as well as representatives from Derbyshire Dales District Council and High Peak Borough Council. Over recent years the Partnership has focused on the delivery of an annual Peak District ‘Think Tank’ event, bringing together key decision-makers from across the Peak District.

The 2023 PDP Think Tank

The 2023 think tank, held on the 23rd of June 2023, centred on the policy level and practical actions available to decision-makers, the business community and local communities across the Peak District in driving community and business resilience during the current period of challenge, which some have characterised as a “permacrisis”.

The Think Tank had the following objectives:

  1. To provide a forum in which to explore the current and future challenges facing a) the business community and b) local resident populations across the Peak District.
  2. To provide an opportunity to identify policy and practical based solutions to respond to the challenges.
  3. The output of the event to be analysed and evaluated to deliver a report to support the development of regional long term strategic plans.

The presentations and case studies from the event can be downloaded below:

The Call to Action Document sets out the recommendations emerging from the 2023 Think Tank.

Comments on the document are welcome and can be directed to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The 2021 PDP Think Tank

The 2021 think tank, held on-line on 1 July 2021, centred on community collaboration in driving a social enterprise agenda as a vehicle for shaping the Peak District in the post-pandemic world. PDP partners and community organisations considered the part local communities across the Peak District can play in building sustainable social enterprises. The timeliness of the Think Tank was underscored by the launch of the Government’s £150m Community Ownership Fund which is geared to supporting local communities to “continue benefiting from local facilities, community assets and amenities”.

The Think Tank had the following objectives:

  • To provide a forum in which to explore the opportunities and challenges likely to be faced by those seeking to establish community focused social enterprises within the Peak District.
  • To provide practical advice and tips for those looking to establish community focused social enterprises within the Peak District.
  • To identify a series of actions that can be taken to assist in building a Peak District based support infrastructure for those looking to establish community focused social enterprises.
  • To consider the opportunities that might arise via the Government’s £150m Community Ownership Fund.

The presentations and case studies from the event can be downloaded below:

The Call to Action Document sets out the recommendations emerging from the 2021 Think Tank.

Comments on the document are welcome and can be directed to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The 2019/20 PDP Think Tank

The 2019 think tank was scheduled for December 2019, but was postponed on account of the general election. It eventually took place on the 29th of January 2020 and had as its focus “the future proofing of the Peak District’s town centres in order to ensure they remain relevant to the communities they serve (including residents, businesses and visitors)”. The think tank was again launched by Lord Burlington and included provocations from some leading industry and academic experts (speaker biographies are included below). The think tank was very well attended and the lively discussions covered towns both surrounding and within the Peak District National Park boundary.

  • Speaker biographies

The think tank had the following objectives:

  1. To provide a forum in which to explore the challenges and opportunities facing the town centres of the Peak District in meeting the future needs of local residents, businesses and visitors.
  2. To identify the solutions that could deliver future proofed town centres.
  3. The outputs from the event are to be included in a report that will be used to inform future decisions of key organisations across the Peak District.

The key ‘provocations’ are available for download here:

  • Prof Carley Foster: Rural Town Centres:Declining or Reincarnating
  • Ojay McDonald: Future Proofing your Town Centre
  • Buxton case study [PDF 15MB]
  • Matlock case study [PDF 12 MB]
  • Bakewell case study

The Call to Action Document document sets out the recommendations emerging from the Think Tank:

The 2018 PDP Think Tank

Delivered in partnership with the Peak District National Park Authority, Business Peak District and Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, District Councils and hosted by the University of Derby at its Buxton Campus, the first think tank focused on the impact of demographic change on the Peak District from both an economic and health and wellbeing perspective, looking 15 years ahead.

The event comprised a series of short contributions from leading academics and sector representatives followed by roundtable discussions and a plenary session ahead of an opportunity to network over lunch. The event was very well received and it was agreed to hold a similar event, focusing on a different theme at least annually.

The Economy and Health and Wellbeing 'provocations' are available to download here:

  • Wellbeing presentation [PDF 1.8MB]
  • Economy presentation [PDF 3.5MB]

The Call to Action Document sets out the recommendations emerging from the 2018 Think Tank.

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