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Children forced to travel hundreds of miles for NHS mental health treatment The Guardian reported on figures showing that, despite a Government pledge to end the practice, many young people across the country are still being sent up to...
Build-your-own broadband brings rural British communities together Reuters covered the work of social enterprise Broadband for the Rural North (B4RN), which operates in areas experiencing poor connectivity. According to the report, B4RN provides broadband to 5,000 customers and...
Dorset to be among places hardest hit by Britain’s ageing population, figures reveal The Bournemouth Echo covered Office for National Statistics figures showing that rural and coastal areas have the highest proportion of older residents. The ten local...
The government has repeated its assertion that rural development projects where funding has been agreed before the end of 2020 will be funded for their full lifetime. Defra issued the guarantee the government published the first of some 80 technical notices to...
The government is being urged to "double-down" on its roll-out of broadband to rural areas to boost innovation and narrow the digital divide. The call was made by the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed (IPSE), which represents 74,000 independent...
Older people continue to make up a higher proportion of the population in rural and coastal areas than urban areas, confirm the latest government statistics. The Rural Services Network says this is expected to put pressure on public services, especially...
A new opportunity is available for those with good ideas for rural communities to be awarded research travel grants. Applicants with new ideas on how to improve rural life in the UK can now be supported by overseas research...
Somerset residents are being asked to have their say on a new strategy to shape the future of public transport in the county. Somerset County Council’s draft Passenger Transport Strategy strives to deliver an integrated quality bus, community transport and rail...
More than £300,000 is now available for community projects that get tough on litter, the government has announced. Further information on the Litter Innovation Fund is available on the WRAP website . The first round of funding saw...
Plans to strip back public services and offer only a basic ‘core offer’ of services to local residents could be become the norm, county councils have warned. Local authorities face a funding shortfall of £3.2bn over the next two...
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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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