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Rural Fair Funding
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 locales is costlier.
06 Mar 2023
New Chair of Rural Services All Party Parliamentary Group
The All Party Parliamentary Group for Rural Services held it’s AGM last week and elected a new Chair for 2023-2024 Philip Dunne MP has held the position of Chair of...
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13 Feb 2023
RSN Statement on the Local Government Finance Final Settlement 2023/24
The Local Government Finance Final Settlement 2023/24 was announced last week, and the debate took place on Wednesday 8th February. The RSN extends our sincere thanks to all MPs representing...
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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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23 Jan 2023
Levelling Up Funds announced
On 18th January 2023, the Government announced allocations to more than 100 projects who were awarded funding as part of Round 2 of the Governments flagship Levelling Up Fund to...
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09 Jan 2023
2023-2024 Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement Proposals and what it means for rural communities
Under the Provisional Settlement proposals, the gap in funding between rural and urban areas will, in fact increase. There is therefore a continuation of historic underfunding and unfairness for rural...
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03 Jan 2023
Levelling down – Public services in rural areas are not fit for purpose
The RSN Chief Executive, Graham Biggs MBE, has written an article which was featured in the Fabian Policy Report. A copy of this article is provided below. No-one should Be disadvantaged...
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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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21 Nov 2022
RSN Autumn Statement Response – Reliance on Council Tax
The Rural Services Network is dismayed with the Autumn Statement released on the 17th November where the Chancellor set out plans to allow Councils to increase Council Tax by 5%...
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21 Nov 2022
Rural services ‘may be lost’ without funding formula
Speaking to The MJ, Graham Biggs, chief executive of the Rural Services Network, said he feared many discretionary services in rural areas could be lost if the Treasury announces fresh austerity...
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