East Anglian Daily Times reports that a Suffolk MP has given the government's plan to 'level up' rural communities a B grade, saying "we need to keep up the pressure"

In July, after a study found that government funding formulae short-changed rural areas by 40%, the EADT launched its campaign to level up rural communities.

Now, three months, three prime ministers, and several cabinet reshuffles later – the government has responded.

The letter, signed by Minister for Levelling Up Dehenna Davison, states: "Talent is everywhere but opportunity is not and where people live unfairly affects their chances of getting on in life.

The government's central mission is to reverse this unfairness by spreading opportunity more equally across the country and bringing left behind communities up to the level of more prosperous areas."

The response goes on to outline government schemes addressing the points raised in the EADT manifesto.

Among these is increasing the amount of cash available to local councils by up to £3.7billion next year – this is a 7.3% increase at a time when inflation is around 10%, pledging £5billion to give hard-to-reach areas high-speed internet, plans to build up to 180,000 affordable homes by 2026, and the publishing of a transport strategy for rural areas.

What is being asked for?

This newspaper's manifesto was developed with input from experts such as Janet Dwyer, professor of rural policy at the University of Gloucestershire, chiefs from the Rural Services Network and Rural England, and people working on the ground in Suffolk throughout the cost-of-living crisis.

Target help to households, not regions

In villages, millionaires can live next door to people on the bread line.

This skews data to make areas appear wealthy when some people there are struggling.

Prof Dwyer said: "The total proportion of people who are poor in rural areas is really quite significant, but they never get picked up in the statistics because they're living cheek by jowl with people on very, very high incomes."

She added: "The rural poverty trap may not show up in statistics, but there are people who are in need of support.

"Targeting financial help for people on low incomes needs to be done at the level of the individual household – not just by looking at a map."

Strengthen digital infrastructure

"There's a need for strengthening infrastructure," Prof Dwyer said.

"You can do a lot more if you are connected online, than you can if you don't have decent broadband.

"A really universal investment that would be worthwhile would be making sure that everyone in rural areas has better online access."

Fix the rural funding gap

According to research by the Rural Services Network, this year predominantly rural areas will have around 40% less government cash to spend per head when compared to predominantly urban areas.

Prof Dwyer said: "Local authorities with large rural hinterlands actually lose out in respect of service provision from the central government taxation for running local services for people.

"The system is biased against rural and you need to accept that certain things cost more in rural areas to get the same level of provisions and that needs to be built into the calculations."

Improve transport – but not just buses

"Transport is a major issue for the quality of life for people living in rural areas," Prof Dwyer said.

"It's about thinking much more about basic provision for people in areas which don't have it now."

Prof Dwyer cited some simple improvements, such as the dualling of stretches of railway tracks as making "a huge difference to the usability of transport", but said imagination was necessary.

She said: "I think that there have to be more imaginative solutions than just the subsidised main bus services – they're useful, but they're not flexible enough, and they're not meeting people's needs enough for being able to get around."

Build more homes that are truly affordable to people on local salaries

House prices being out of kilter with the local people's wages is a concern frequently cited by people in Suffolk.

Graham Biggs, chief executive of the Rural Services Network, said the government needs to subsidise either building costs or rents to help people find a home they can afford.

He said: "We're talking here of six to 10 houses in a village. We're not talking about the need for a huge housing estate of 100-200 houses.

"We are just talking about small-scale development that would aid the population balance in rural areas."

He added: "There are no economies of scale in rural areas.

"If you are going to be only able to charge a rent which is affordable to people on local wages, then the government needs to subsidise that rent or subsidise the build cost."

Improve access to healthcare

Mr Biggs said: "Accessing healthcare at main hospitals is a tremendous journey that sometimes simply cannot be made by public transport – or if it can it takes hours."

Full article:

East Anglian Daily Times - Call to give Suffolk £3.7billion for better transport, internet and affordable homes