02.10.2023

RSN calls for more investment in Rural Market Towns

News market towns funding Rural Vulnerability Rural Fair Funding

On the eve of the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, the Prime Minister announced £20m of funding for 44 towns in England. The Long-term Plan for Towns will “empower communities across the UK to take back control of their future – taking long term decisions in the interests of local people.” The funding will be spent on issues like reviving high streets, tackling ASB, improving transport and growing the local economy.

However, RSN analysis of the lists shows that once again, rural Market Towns have been overlooked.

RSN Chief Executive, Kerry Booth, said:

“Whilst we welcome the news that more funding is going into reviving towns rather than cities, I would urge the Prime Minister to look carefully at how this sort of funding is allocated in the future.

“The geographical nature of a Market Town means they tend to have a lower population compared to some of the places on this ‘overlooked’ list. That means they often miss out on central funding.

“However, the reality is that these Market Towns are viewed as large centres for people living in remote areas as they are a vital lifeline for them, providing essential services. Once again, we ask the government to consider how it allocates funding to ensure it is done so fairly and based on the need of the communities it serves and not the number of people who live there.”