Why do we need a rural market town grouping?

The RSN believes that Rural Communities are frequently overlooked in a policy environment dominated by urban thinking and policy concerns. This often means communities either miss out on the benefits or experience unintended consequences from policies which are poorly thought-through from a rural perspective. This means that government policy currently neglects the many hundreds of important rural towns across England.

We believe these towns play a vital role not only in the lives of their inhabitants but also in both the local and national economy. That is why we want them to receive more focus.

Rural areas and their intricate network of rural communities should be able to realise their potential within the national economy and need to be appropriately recognised and supported in government thinking and actions.

What is the Rural Market Town Group?

To underline the importance of these English towns, the role they play and their potential going forward, The Rural Services Network have developed a new initiative to develop a Rural Market Town Grouping within the Rural Services Network. This new Grouping will work to add to our Call on Government for a Rural Strategy.

We have begun this initiative by approaching one town or the largest village in each of the 200+ rural areas across England which has been identified by Defra for their distinctive characteristic. This process will be expanded in time to ensure that all those that wish to be involved are fully engaged.

Whilst we appreciate and celebrate the diversity of our rural areas, we seek to create a universal voice to represent all different types of rural areas across England ensuring that no form of rural area is excluded.

Up to until now 141 Towns and Parishes have already agreed to commence the group and we look forward to hearing from the remainder of the 200 councils approached. We are currently on target for the 120 members we seek.

→ View current members by clicking here

If other Rural Towns who we are yet to contact want to learn more about this matter, please contact us at admin@sparse.gov.uk

Services provided to the group will include:

• Involvement in the Rural Strategy campaign to ensure feedback from member Market Towns is considered within the Revitalising Rural areas documentation and its updates. 
• Development of some good practice and learning material related to the key policy areas and delivery challenges or opportunities for rural/market towns.
• Receiving the ‘Rural Bulletin’, a weekly newsletter provided by the Rural Services Network highlighting rural news, issues affecting rural communities, and highlighting the work of the Rural Services Network.
• Provision of a dedicated quarterly newsletter ‘Rural Market Towns Group Roundup‘ highlighting relevant latest policy developments, showcasing interesting member practice and flagging relevant initiatives or funding opportunities.
• Periodic online surveys of the members of rural/market towns, to gather comparative information about topics of particular interest to this grouping.
• Free access for Councillor representatives or their nominee to the 9 topic RSN Cross Service Seminar programme.
• Twice yearly Rural Town Networking Meetings held online.
• Meetings of a RMTG Town Clerk’s Advisory Panel.
• Whilst statistical information is almost always presented by Government at County and/or District level it is vital the messages this contains are known about across rural areas. We will issue an area rural statistical profile once a year to members of this grouping.
• The pattern of local area Market Town meetings seem mixed across England. We would like to look at this in a little detail to see if it is at all feasible to secure any improvement in areas where meetings/joint working are not taking place currently and also look at how liaison can take place between this national facing group and existing area meetings.

Rural Market Town Documents:

.New Rural Market Town Members (19):

Bakewell Town Council	Coggeshall Parish Council	Westerham Town Council	Billinge Chapel End Parish Council	Hedge End Town Council
Bridport Town Council	South Molton Town Council	Crowland Parish Council	Market Harborough	Clowne Parish Council
Lechlade on Thames Town Council	Penistone Town Council	Diss Town Council	Richmond Town Council	Bicester Town Council
Holt Town Council	Hullbridge Parish Council	Chipping Ongar Town Council	Barkham Parish Council

Established Rural Market Town Members (122):

Ackworth Parish Council	Alcester Town Council	Alnwick Town Council	Alvechurch Parish Council	Ampthill Town Council
Arundel Town Council	Ashby de la Zouch Town Council	Atherstone Town Council	Balsall Parish Council	Belper Town Council
Biddenden Parish Council	Biddulph Town Council	Bingham Town Council	Bourne Town Council	Bovey Tracey Town Council
Brampton Parish Council	Buckingham Town Council	Burnham on Sea and Highbridge Town Council	Burscough Parish Council	Caistor Town Council
Carnforth Town Council	Chalfont St Giles Parish Council	Chard Town Council	Cheadle Town Council	Church Stretton Town Council
Cirencester Town Council	Clare Town Council	Cleator Moor Town Council	Clevedon Town Council	Clitheroe Town Council
Clun Town Council with Chapel Lawn	Corsham Town Council	Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Parish Council	Cranleigh Parish Council	Crediton Town Council
Dalton with Newton Town Council	Daventry Town Council	Downham Market Town Council	Earl Shilton Town Council	Earby Town Council
East Grinstead Town Council	East Horsley Parish Council	Faringdon Town Council	Faversham Town Council	Finedon Town Council
Frodsham Town Council	Garstang Town Council	Great Torrington Town Council	Guisborough Town Council	Hadleigh Town Council
Halstead Town Council	Hartley Witney Parish Council	Harworth and Bircotes Town Council	Hetton Town Council	Hexham Town Council
Holsworthy Town Council	Kendal Town Council	Keswick Town Council	Kirkby Stephen Town Council	Knaresborough Town Council
Knutsford Town Council	Launceston Town Council	Ledbury Town Council	Leominster Town Council	Longridge Town Council
Lutterworth Town Council	Lymm Parish Council	Mablethorpe and Sutton Town Council	Market Rasen Town Council	Marlborough Town Council
Midsomer Norton Town Council	Minster Parish Council	New Alresford Town Council	Newport Town Council	Normandy Parish Council
Oakham Town Council	Olney Town Council	Otley Town Council	Oxted Parish Council	Penrith Town Council
Penzance Town Council	Petersfield Town Council	Ripon City Council	Rothwell Town Council	Rye Town Council
Saffron Walden Town Council	Sandy Town Council	Saxmundham Town Council	Seaton Town Council	Shaftesbury Town Council
Sherborne Town Council	Shildon Town Council	Skipton Town Council	Sleaford Town Council	Sodbury Town Council
Soham Town Council	St Austell Town Council	St Ives Town Council	Stowmarket Town Council	Stroud Town Council
Swanley Town Council	Swineshead Parish Council	Tavistock Town Council	Tenbury Town Council	Tenterden Town Council
Thetford Town Council	Thornbury Town Council	Uckfield Town Council	Uppingham Town Council	Uttoxeter Town Council
Verwood Town Council	Wallingford Town Council	Warsop Parish Council	Wem Town Council	Wendover Parish Council
Wells City Council	West Chiltington Parish Council	Wetherby Town Council	Wheathampstead Parish Council	Whitby Town Council
Wisbech Town Council	Wotton-under-Edge Town Council