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The Rural Services Network (RSN) is thrilled to announce the National Rural Conference 2024, taking place from 16th to 19th September. This virtual event, accessible via Zoom, is the premier gathering for senior officers, members, policymakers, and rural service professionals.
Further information and booking details can be found here
Channel 4 has produced a ten-minute news piece on poverty in rural Britain as part of its Breadline Britain series. The video emphasises that while the countryside is often idyllic looking, severe areas of poverty also exist which often...
Bus Users UK has published a ten-point plan to reverse the decline in rural services, according to the website Transport-Network.co.uk The group, which represents bus users, said that ‘changing lifestyles, flexible working, funding cuts and the regulatory environment are...
Schools Minister Lord Agnew has said that the Government should not pour money into ‘inefficient’ schools, according to Tes Addressing the Confederation of Schools Trusts’ summer conference last week, he said that schools ‘must get their houses in order’...
Consumer and rural groups unite to set out four key tests for mobile operator plans to boost rural 4G in a letter to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Signed by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA)...
Baroness Randerson writes in the parliamentary magazine This House to argue that a government strategy is needed to support council funding and increase passenger numbers on rural bus services. She argues that deregulation of the bus industry in the...
Plans to improve rural 4G connectivity must pass four tests if they are to deliver real benefits to rural communities, according to several campaign groups. The Yorkshire Post and other publications such as Open Access Government and the Farmers’...
Labour MP Matt Western wrote on the website PoliticsHome.com about local bus drivers’ working hours and the impact on public safety. Currently, local bus drivers are not subject to the same regulations as lorry or long-distance bus drivers so...
As part of its campaign to protect Britain’s post office network, the Daily Mail covers the news that fees paid to sub-postmasters to provide essential services have dropped by £112 million over the last seven years, whilst former Post Office...
The Mirror reports on a NHS GP crisis that has left over 500,000 patients across the UK looking for a new surgery. Data released from Clinical Commissioning Groups revealed that in 2018 138 GP practices closed across the UK...
Boots could close up to 200 shops over the next two years, according to the Guardian. The health and beauty chain is reviewing its portfolio of nearly 2,500 shops as its US parent company attempts to cut costs worldwide....
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Amid reduced public spending, fair resource allocation across regions is crucial. Despite a population larger than Greater London, rural areas receive significantly less funding for essential services, even though delivering these services in rural areas is more expensive.
Economic growth is widely acknowledged as essential for national wealth and prosperity and is a priority for political parties. Rural economies, employing millions and home to a higher proportion of small businesses, have potential for growth if barriers are removed.
Rural residents face distinct healthcare challenges, including limited access to transport, longer distances to medical facilities, an aging demographic, housing inadequacies, digital connectivity gaps, and difficulties recruiting health and care workers.
Rural communities are grappling with a severe affordable housing crisis, marked by high house prices, a lack of affordable housing, elevated living costs, and lower incomes, threatening their sustainability and vitality.
Transport is vital for the quality of life and economic health of rural areas, yet it faces challenges such as infrequent public bus services and less Government funding compared to urban regions.
Rural areas, encompassing a substantial portion of England's population and land, play a pivotal role in combating climate change and achieving the net zero target.
In an increasingly digital world, the lack of robust digital infrastructure in rural areas severely limits access to crucial services and stifles economic growth.
A future-focused vision for rural communities involves not just building the right homes in the right places but also ensuring thriving, sustainable communities.
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