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Future of Rural Areas
Both the Conservatives and Labour suffered disappointing results in the local elections, with Prime Minister Theresa May admitting the Tories had a ‘very difficult’ night. The Conservatives lost control of more than 35 councils and 1330 seats, whilst Labour...
Ahead of a debate on rural crime in the House of Lords, the Bishop of St Albans wrote an article on the website PoliticsHome urging the Government to do more to fight rural crime. He referenced in particular the...
Writing in LocalGov.co.uk this week, TrueSpeed Communications CEO Evan Wienburg argues for the importance of robust digital connectivity. He notes that while ‘we’re living in a golden age for young entrepreneurship’, young talent is being lost to cities and...
ITV reports on a recent Which? survey that found more than 1,600 free ATM machines were converted into fee-paying machines between January and March this year. More than 1,250 ATMs were converted in March alone. ATM network Link, which...
BT could be allowed to charge more for internet connections in the countryside, according to proposed rule changes by Ofcom. The regulator’s suggested changes are designed to encourage ‘bolder investment in broadband’, according to The Sunday Times. They...
Yahoo Finance reports on a Government pledged to keep 1p and 2p coins in circulation. Chancellor Philip Hammond announced plans to set up a new group to safeguard access to cash, called the Joint Authorities Cash Strategy Group. The...
The Lords Rural Economy report, published on Saturday, was covered in a range of publications, including: ITV, ISP Review, Christian Today and Farming UK. The report echoes RSN’s call for a comprehensive rural strategy, as argued for by chief...
The below article was written by Graham Biggs (Rural Services Network Chief Executive) in relation to the House of Lords Select Committee Report on the Rural Economy. This article was published in the Municipal Journal . ...
PoliticsHome.com reported on the challenges facing high streets around England. It noted recent announcements of job losses from House of Fraser, HMV, Debenhams and figures compiled by the consumer charity Which? showing that the UK has lost nearly two-thirds...
The Guardian reports on the upcoming local elections, taking place in many areas of the country on 2 May. Voters will decide on 8,200 seats later this week, as well as six directly elected mayors. 134 of the councils...
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Amid reduced public spending, fair resource allocation across regions is crucial. Despite a population larger than Greater London, rural areas receive significantly less funding for essential services, even though delivering these services in rural areas is more expensive.
Economic growth is widely acknowledged as essential for national wealth and prosperity and is a priority for political parties. Rural economies, employing millions and home to a higher proportion of small businesses, have potential for growth if barriers are removed.
Rural residents face distinct healthcare challenges, including limited access to transport, longer distances to medical facilities, an aging demographic, housing inadequacies, digital connectivity gaps, and difficulties recruiting health and care workers.
Rural communities are grappling with a severe affordable housing crisis, marked by high house prices, a lack of affordable housing, elevated living costs, and lower incomes, threatening their sustainability and vitality.
Transport is vital for the quality of life and economic health of rural areas, yet it faces challenges such as infrequent public bus services and less Government funding compared to urban regions.
Rural areas, encompassing a substantial portion of England's population and land, play a pivotal role in combating climate change and achieving the net zero target.
In an increasingly digital world, the lack of robust digital infrastructure in rural areas severely limits access to crucial services and stifles economic growth.
A future-focused vision for rural communities involves not just building the right homes in the right places but also ensuring thriving, sustainable communities.
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