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18 Oct 2013
Conference dissects rural health issues
RURAL health issues were at the forefront of the debate during a national conference on Friday (18 October). The national Rural Health Network Conference was organised by the Rural Services...
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13 Oct 2013
Minister to meet ‘fair share’ campaigners
THE government has agreed to meet with campaigners calling for a fairer deal for rural local authorities. Local government minister Brandon Lewis agreed to the meeting after MPs called on...
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07 Oct 2013
Rural GPs warn of ‘looming crisis’
RURAL GPs have warned of a looming crisis if attempts to attract medical graduates to become family doctors continue to have limited success. The topic was raised at the annual...
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29 Sep 2013
Deadline imminent for rural petition
THE deadline is imminent for councillors and residents to sign a petition demanding fairer funding for rural communities. The government’s funding formula means urban councils currently receive around 50% more...
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29 Sep 2013
Volunteers join police against rural crime
KENT police have formed a new team of officers to focus specifically on policing rural areas. The rural policing team comprises nine special constables responsible for building on existing relationships...
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28 Sep 2013
Rural groups call for broadband review
CAMPAIGNERS have called for a government review after MPs branded its superfast rural broadband rollout a shambles. The Countryside Alliance said rural communities and businesses would suffer unless the government’s...
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26 Sep 2013
MPs slam raw deal on rural broadband
MPs have criticised the way the government is rolling out superfast broadband to rural communities and businesses. The Public Accounts Committee said the programme to extend superfast broadband to rural...
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25 Sep 2013
Village first for superfast broadband
A SMALL village has become the first rural community to benefit from a multi-million pound Superfast Lancashire project. Completion of engineering work means most of the 240 premises in the...
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23 Sep 2013
Emergency text alert system tested
THE government is testing a system of mobile phone alerts used to inform rural residents about major emergencies. Mobile alert tests to make sure the public can receive information in...
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22 Sep 2013
Labour in £75m rural broadband pledge
THE Labour Party has pledged an extra £75m to bring faster broadband to the countryside. The money would come from the government’s urban broadband programme should Labour win the next...
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