Access to Services

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26 Jul 2016

Call to safeguard rural postal services

POSTAL deliveries to and from remote and sparsely populated areas must not be jeopardised, the Rural Services Network has warned. The network issued the warning in its response to a...

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19 Jul 2016

Partnership delivers faster broadband

More than 90,000 rural premises in Derbyshire now have access to faster download speeds, thanks to a local authority fibre broadband partnership. The multi-million pound Digital Derbyshire programme is a...

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15 Jul 2016

Brexit has ‘major’ rural implications

LEAVING the European Union has major implications for England’s countryside communities, the Rural Services Network has warned. Safeguarding the future of rural services – and those that provide them –...

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12 Jul 2016

Rural police need fair funding – report

RURAL police forces could lose out because government thinking is skewed in favour of urban areas, says a report. The Fair Funding for Rural Policing study comes as the Home...

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11 Jul 2016

Action ‘vital’ on rural mobile coverage

URGENT action is needed to improve rural mobile phone coverage, business leaders have warned. Introduced this month, the government’s Digital Economy Bill includes a pledge for faster rural broadband –...

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05 Jul 2016

Women in Community Rail launched

A new group has been launched to champion the role of women in local and rural community rail routes. Women in Community Rail aims to promote and supporte inclusiveness and...

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03 Jul 2016

Telecoms watchdog seeks rural volunteers

TELECOMS watchdog Ofcom wants rural people to tell it about the broadband challenges they face. Ofcom said it wanted to find out more about the “rural broadband experience” by encouraging...

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03 Jul 2016

Bank closures ‘damage communities’

MPs have voiced concern that bank branch closures are devastating local communities. The issue was debated in the House of Commons on Thursday (30 June) following a motion proposed by...

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03 Jul 2016

Council leader in broadband warning

Significant challenges must be overcome to bring superfast broadband to rural areas, a council leader has warned. Roy Perry, leader of Hampshire County Council, said thousands more residents were set...

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27 Jun 2016

Network fights for better broadband

RENEWED effort is required to ensure that the final 5% of premises have adequate broadband connections, says the Rural Services Network. The government’s proposed “right to request” superfast broadband connections...

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