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.
23 Dec 2016
‘Sparsity’ funding to protect rural schools
Government plans will see small rural schools protected by a ‘sparsity’ funding factor have been broadly welcomed. Education secretary Justine Greening made the announcement in the House of Commons on...
Read more
15 Dec 2016
Rural dismay at funding settlement
The Rural Services Network has slammed the government’s provisional funding settlement for local authorities. Rural communities will be severely disadvantaged by the settlement, which covers proposed local authority funding for...
Read more
15 Dec 2016
Rural dismay at local government funding announcement
PRESS RELEASE For immediate release Thursday 15 December 2016 The Rural Services Network – which represents more than 250 local authorities and organisations in rural areas [1] – has called...
Read more
28 Oct 2016
RSN Response to “The 2017/18 Local Government Finance Settlement: Technical Consultation Paper”
Submitted by email 28th October, 2016 to LGFConsultation@communities.gsi.gov.uk We are responding to this consultation as the organisation Rural Services Network. We are a Special Interest Group of the Local Government...
Read more
08 Sep 2016
Government consultation on 100% Business Rate Retention and Call for evidence on Needs and Redistribution
1) 100% Business Rate Retention – CCN, RSN and DCN Shared Principles Statement The County Councils Network (CCN), District Councils’ Network (DCN) and Rural Services Network (RSN) have jointly welcomed...
Read more
14 Feb 2016
Fivefold rise in rural services grant
THE government has announced a fivefold increase in its Rural Services Delivery Grant from £15.5m to £80.5m. It follows months of work on behalf of rural communities and local authorities...
Read more
02 Feb 2016
Government faces ‘major revolt’ over rural funding
Up to 50 Tory MPs are preparing to vote against the government’s proposed funding settlement for rural local authorities. Prime Minister David Cameron faces a ‘major backbench Tory rebellion” over...
Read more
27 Jan 2016
Listen to MPs on rural funding, government ministers told
THE Rural Services Network has told the government it must listen to MPs on the vital issue of rural funding. The network issued the warning after MPs slammed a proposed...
Read more
22 Jan 2016
‘Disastrous’ proposals beggar belief
Government plans threaten to leave rural residents facing a hike in council tax and much reduced services. The Rural Services Network outlined its concerns as the government prepares to decide...
Read more
19 Jan 2016
Funding settlement is ‘fundamentally unfair’
The government’s provisional funding settlement is fundamentally unfair for rural communities, the Rural Services Network has warned. The network outlined its concerns to the proposed settlement in response to a...
Read more