Analysis & Commentary
11 Mar 2024
Spring Budget 2024
The Spring Budget, presented last week by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, has sparked interest and concern among rural communities and their advocates. The Rural Services Network (RSN) has identified areas of...
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24 Jan 2024
Rural Services Delivery Grant Increases
The Rt Hon Michael Gove has today (24th Jan) through written statement announced that he proposes to increase the Rural Services Delivery Grant by £15million for 2024/2025 resulting in a...
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25 Sep 2023
Planning Turnaround updated
The Planning Turnaround analysis, within the Performance Benchmarking section of the RSN website, has now been updated for the year to June 2023. These analyses provide benchmarking on speed of...
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24 Jul 2023
RSN analysis of latest Council Tax and NNDR Collection Rate
The latest Council Tax & NNDR (National Non Domestic Rates) Collection analysis is now available on the RSN website for RSN Sparse member authorities here. The analysis provides benchmarking on...
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10 Jul 2023
Rural England’s 9.7 million risk being left further behind at general election
The Rural Coalition urges political parties to address rural challenges to gain ground among countryside voters 10 July 2023: Rural England’s population of 9.7 million risk being left further behind...
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25 May 2023
Rural households left feeling isolated by the cost of living crisis
A survey of rural households out today by the Rural Services Network (RSN), shows that more than 75% of respondents say that their financial situation has got worse over the...
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03 Apr 2023
New RSN Chief Executive in post!
It’s a new dawn for the Rural Services Network as longstanding Chief Executive Graham Biggs MBE stands down from the role, with Kerry Booth taking the reins of the organisation...
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07 Feb 2023
Final Local Government Finance Settlement 2023/24 – Initial Reaction
INITIAL REACTION BY GRAHAM BIGGS – CHIEF EXECUTIVE RSN The RSN has carried out an assessment of the Final Settlement for 2023/24 announced on Monday 6th February That RSN assessment...
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20 Dec 2022
Initial Statement on the Provisional Local Government Settlement
The gap in funding is increasing yet further The Government yesterday announced the Provisional Settlement for Local Government for 2023/2024 and launched the consultation on the proposals which close on...
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22 Sep 2022
New report shows devastating triple blow pushes rural communities into a cost-of-living emergency
A new report by Rural Services Network shows rural areas face ‘dual energy vulnerability’ of higher household and transport energy poverty, and lower wages The research found that homes in...
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