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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
Rural business leaders have set out five action points they claim will help ease the shortage of affordable homes. The Country Land and Business Association , which represents landowners, farmers and rural businesses, said it wanted to remind the government...
Defra secretary Andrea Leadsom has confirmed a £120m funding boost for rural businesses across England. Some £120m in funding will be made available to rural businesses – generating thousands of jobs in rural communities, she said. Mrs Leadsom made...
A Worcestershire MP is urging local businesses to help make the case for better rural broadband. Harriett Baldwin is calling on local entrepreneurs to take part in a survey to help Worcestershire County Council to get more investment to...
England's first ever garden villages will help to ease the country's housing crisis, says the government. Garden villages are settlements of between 1,500 and 10,000 homes. The location of the first 14 garden villages was announced by the government...
Government plans will see small rural schools protected by a 'sparsity' funding factor have been broadly welcomed. Education secretary Justine Greening made the announcement in the House of Commons on Wednesday, 14 December. The proposals would end an...
POST Offices are becoming more important to local communities and should be more accessible, says the Rural Services Network. The RSN made the recommendation in response to a government consultation on services offered by the post office network ....
Mobile phone network coverage in the UK is worse than in Romania, Albania and Peru, says a report. Britain is 54th in the world for 4G coverage, and the typical user can only access 4G barely half the time,...
Councils are using new powers to crush vehicles belonging to fly-tippers who illegally dump rubbish in the countryside. Local authorities are also calling for the closure of a legal loophole which means officers must give some fly-tippers seven days...
The Rural Services Network have repeated a survey first carried out last year using their Sounding Board, established of Councillors from their Local Authority membership and also Parish Councillors from the Rural Services Community. The survey was repeated to...
The Rural Services Network have repeated a survey first carried out last year using their Sounding Board, established of Councillors from their Local Authority membership and also Parish Councillors from the Rural Services Community. The survey was repeated to...
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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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