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Bookings are now officially open for the National Rural Conference 2025, which will take place online from Monday 15 to Thursday 18 September.
This is the Rural Services Network’s flagship event of the year, bringing together rural decision-makers, practitioners, and advocates for four days of live, interactive sessions focused on the future of rural communities.
Click here to book!
observatory economy
The Observatory section on the Economy looks at all elements of the rural economy such as employment, small businesses and wage levels to build a picture of the impact on rural communities.
This analysis shows the quarterly fluctuations in estimates of unemployment levels and rates for a chosen member authority over a period of four years. It also charts the rates for the local authority's associated rural/urban classification average and a chosen...
The Jobseekers Allowance claimant rate measures the number of claimants as a proportion of resident population. This spreadsheet provides for a member authority an analysis over time plus the rural average of claimant rates. - Jobseekers Allownace Analysis - Analysis...
The attached spreadsheet presents information on electricity and gas consumption at the local authority level for the period spanning 2005 to 2017. The data comes from the Department of Energy & Climate Change. Of particular interest is the...
To inform and contextualise a local authority area's economic situation, factsheets have been produced for our member authorities providing a wide range of facts, figures and associated graphs. The factsheets provide rural and urban averages, and averages for the classification...
To inform and contextualise a local authority area's economic situation, factsheets have been produced for our member authorities providing a wide range of facts, figures and associated graphs. The factsheets provide rural and urban averages, and averages for the classification...
To inform and contextualise a local authority area's economic situation, factsheets have been produced for our member authorities providing a wide range of facts, figures and associated graphs. The factsheets provide rural and urban averages, and averages for the classification...
The quality of rural broadband provision is a key issue to an area's economic competitiveness and in providing efficient access to services. This factsheet below uses data collected by Ofcom to present the picture for rural England. Factsheet -...
The quality of rural mobile phone coverage is a key issue to an area's economic competitiveness and in providing efficient access to services. This factsheet below uses data collected by Ofcom to present the picture for rural England. Factsheet...
Broadband speed - or indeed the lack of it - remains a big challenge for rural business and communities. Many areas are languishing on connections far slower than those available in larger towns and cities - posing economic as well...
The Federation of Small Businesses conducts a quarterly economic survey. Our analyses of its findings provide an insight into the rural situation. RSN analysis of the FSB Quarterly Economic Survey (February & May 2012) - LEP Results - Analysis...
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HOT TOPICS
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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