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.
09 Mar 2026
SEND Reforms Overlook School Transport
New plans designed to help local authorities manage the rising cost of supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) leave significant questions unanswered, particularly around the growing cost...
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02 Mar 2026
LGIU Warns Of Deepening Financial Strain On Councils
The Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) has published its 2026 State of Local Government Finance in England research, finding that confidence in the sustainability of council finances remains critically low...
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02 Mar 2026
Why Rural Connectivity Cannot Be An Afterthought
Rural connectivity shapes whether rural businesses can compete, whether residents can access healthcare and education, and whether communities can feel secure and connected in an increasingly digital world. At last...
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23 Feb 2026
£110m Confirmed For Lincoln Relief Road
The government has confirmed more than £110 million in funding for the North Hykeham Relief Road, a new dual carriageway scheme intended to improve transport links around Lincoln and parts...
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16 Feb 2026
Final Local Government Settlement: Key Questions Remain For Rural Services
The Government has published the Final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2026–27 to 2028–29. The settlement sets out how much funding local authorities will receive over the next three years...
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16 Feb 2026
Final Settlement Debate
The parliamentary debate for the Final Local Government Finance Settlement took place on 12th February. Realistically it was less of a ‘debate’ and more of a rebuttal by Government to...
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10 Feb 2026
RSN Initial Response: Final Local Government Finance Settlement Published
The Government has yesterday (9th February) published the Final Settlement for Local Government Finance ahead of the debate tomorrow in Parliament. You can find out more about the final settlement...
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10 Feb 2026
UK’s Rural Shops Invested Over £280m In Last Year
The Association of Convenience Stores launched the 2026 Rural Shop Report, in Parliament last week. The report reveals that rural retailers have spent over a quarter of a billion pounds...
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10 Feb 2026
Parliamentary Committee Examines Social Housing Conditions
A new report from the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has found that progress in improving the condition of social housing in England has largely stalled since the pandemic,...
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09 Feb 2026
National Cancer Plan Sets Out Ambition To Improve Outcomes
The government has published its National Cancer Plan for England, setting out a ten-year ambition to improve cancer survival, increase early diagnosis, modernise services and reduce longstanding inequalities in outcomes...
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