The importance of rural councils coming together was highlighted last week with an urgent meeting called by the Rural Services Network of local authority members.

Following the Local Government Finance Policy Statement published on 28th November which set out the repurposing of the Rural Services Delivery Grant and the attention on funding being focused on those areas with the greatest demands on services, the Rural Services Network has been working hard behind the scenes to coordinate a rural approach with its members.

The Rural Services Network believes that deprivation, whilst important, is not the only driver of demands on services and that other factors are also relevant. 

Everyone should have access to the support that they need, wherever they live, and we want to ensure that vulnerable residents in rural areas are not left behind, simply because they do not live in the right postcode.

In addition, we want to ensure that councils are able to fund the cost of delivering services to their residents.

The Government announced that there will be a consultation later this year on the objectives and principles of the government’s proposed approach to Local Government Funding and the Rural Services Network is coordinating a rural response to this process.