The Rural Services Network is establishing a rural sounding board for councillors from member local authorities.

The rural sounding board of over 100 councillors – one from each member authority – will enable councillors to to establish a majority rural view to government and others on issues as they arise.

As well as being a Special Interest Group of the Local Government Association, the network is one only two organisations remaining who cover rural areas and their activities across England.

The proposal for a rural sounding board has come through the network's AGM, held before Christmas.

RSN chief executive Graham Biggs said the network was also keen to establish topic specific groups of councillors with a special interest in one of three over-arching topics.

Those topics are:
* Fuel Poverty – seen as a more serious problem in rural areas than elsewhere in England.
* Rural Transport – which has been badly by budget cuts.
* Broadband – with a view to securing a meaningful service that keeps pace with technology.

Mr Biggs said the online questionnaires would be used to obtain views from councils and help formulate responses to government consultations.

Outcomes would be shared, he added.

Mr Biggs said: "We will present these findings to government and other interested parties as a fair and honest view about issues affecting rural areas across England."

He added: "These are voluntary working groups and we will not be requiring to people who do volunteer to be involved any further than they wish to be."

Interested councillors should complete the form here