Wednesday 16 September 2026 | 1:30pm–3:30pm | Online
How can evidence, lived experience and local knowledge be used to influence policy and deliver meaningful change for rural communities?
Join the Rural Services Network for a dedicated National Rural Conference session exploring some of the most important issues shaping rural life, from devolution and national rural policy to poverty, financial exclusion and access to essential advice.
Taking place online on Wednesday 16 September, the session will bring together perspectives from government, rural advocacy, research and frontline service delivery. Attendees will hear how data and experience can reveal challenges that are often hidden—and how stronger evidence can help turn recognition into action.
What Will The Session Explore?
Rural communities are diverse, resilient and full of potential, but their experiences are not always properly reflected in national policy, funding decisions or conventional measures of need.
Poverty and financial hardship can be obscured by perceptions of rural prosperity, while distance, limited transport and reduced access to services can make it harder for people to obtain support. At the same time, changes to devolution and local decision-making create both opportunities and questions for rural communities.
The session will explore:
- What English devolution could mean for rural communities
- How rural priorities can be embedded within strategic decision-making
- The findings and implications of Defra’s Future of Rural England report
- The role of the Rural Taskforce in shaping future policy
- Poverty, financial exclusion and access to advice in rural areas
- Why conventional data and measures can fail to reveal rural disadvantage
- How research and evidence can strengthen advocacy for rural communities
- The importance of turning local experience into practical policy change
The presentations will be followed by an open panel discussion and audience Q&A, providing an opportunity to put questions directly to the speakers and contribute to the wider conversation.
Meet The Speakers
Aran Prince-Tappé, Rural Policy Team Lead, Strategic Briefing and Contracts, DEFRA
Aran Prince-Tappé is Programme Management Lead in Defra’s Rural Communities team.
His portfolio includes supporting the implementation of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, including its recognition of rural and coastal communities as an area of competence for strategic authorities.
Aran has previously worked in high-profile policy areas for the Food Standards Agency and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Before joining the Civil Service, he served as an adviser for Citizens Advice Scotland.
Presentation: What English Devolution Means for Rural Communities
Suzanne Wigmore, Chief Executive, Citizens Advice Wiltshire and Rural Issues Group Member
Suzanne Wigmore has been Chief Executive of Citizens Advice Wiltshire for 10 years. She has previously worked in local and national government and with social-housing providers across South West England.
Her areas of expertise include financial inclusion, Universal Credit, Council Tax, housing and homelessness, affordable credit and access to advice. She is also Co-Chair of the Wessex Water Vulnerability and Affordability Panel.
Suzanne is working with colleagues across the Citizens Advice network to improve recognition of rural populations and the advice and support they need to thrive.
Living in a village in rural South Somerset, Suzanne also brings personal experience of the distances and transport limitations affecting access to services in rural communities.
Presentation: You Can’t Eat the View: Rural Exclusion and the Need for Advice
Ralph Hartley, Policy Officer, The Poverty Alliance
Ralph Hartley is Policy Officer for The Poverty Alliance’s Taking Action on Rural Poverty project.
He plays a leading role in strengthening evidence-based advocacy on rural poverty by working with civil-society organisations across two rural local-authority areas. He also helps to amplify the project’s findings across Scotland and ensure that the evidence gathered translates into action.
Ralph previously worked in a range of voluntary-sector roles, including policy work focused on children and young people, disability and additional support needs. He also worked at BBC Children in Need, where he designed and delivered major grant-making programmes and developed strategic partnerships.
Presentation details will be announced soon.
Kerry Booth, Chief Executive, Rural Services Network
Kerry Booth is Chief Executive of the Rural Services Network, where she leads the organisation’s work to champion rural communities across England.
With almost 20 years’ experience in local government and rural policy, Kerry works closely with government, local authorities and national partners to promote fair funding, effective rural proofing and better outcomes for rural areas.
A respected speaker and advocate, Kerry regularly shares her expertise on rural policy, public services and the future of rural communities.
Presentation: Defra Taskforce and Future of Rural England Report
Who Should Attend?
This session will be particularly valuable for:
- Local-authority policy, strategy and community-development teams
- Council leaders, cabinet members and elected representatives
- Strategic and combined authorities
- Rural advocacy and community organisations
- Citizens Advice services and other advice providers
- Organisations working on poverty, financial inclusion, housing or welfare
- Researchers and professionals working with rural evidence and data
- Voluntary and community-sector organisations
- Anyone interested in how rural evidence can influence policy and deliver change
This is not an exhaustive list. We welcome colleagues from across RSN member organisations who have an interest in rural policy, devolution, poverty, access to services or improving outcomes for rural communities.
This session is exclusively available to RSN members. Attendance is included at no additional cost with eligible membership packages, while a small fee applies to Rural Village Services Group and Rural Market Town Group members.
Please note that the session will not be recorded. To hear directly from our speakers, take part in the Q&A and contribute to the discussion, you will need to join us live.
Wednesday 16 September 2026
1:30pm – 3:30pm
Online
With thanks to our conference supporters
The Rural Services Network would like to thank our National Rural Conference 2026 supporters for helping us deliver this important programme of discussion, learning and shared rural experience.
