Sharing the stage with a Minister, last week Rural Services Network Chief Executive Kerry Booth stressed the importance last week of rural organisations being at the table to contribute to discussions on growing the nation's economy. 

Speaking at the LGA Conference in Harrogate, Kerry took to the main stage to share her concerns that the rural economy was being overlooked in favour of growth in cities and towns, when there is a need to grow the whole economy to help the nation to prosper.

At a panel session focusing on ‘Delivering Inclusive Growth’ the Under Secretary of State, Minister for Local Growth Alex Norris, shared his perspective on the enabling role that Local Authorities can play in delivering growth.  He expressed that growth is the number one mission for the new government and that local leaders will be a driving force behind the national industrial strategy. 

He was followed by Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, Deputy Chair of the LGA and Chair of Core Cities.  She shared with the audience the importance of working together, and a share focus on growing the economy from her experiences with Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

Kerry then took to the podium and firstly highlighted some of the difficulties that rural councils face following years of underfunding from Government, with services to more sparsely populated areas being more expensive to provide. 

She then explored some of the challenges that the rural economy faces, with lower levels of productivity, lower wages earned in the rural economy, and difficulties for businesses and residents, with connectivity, a lack of public transport and an absence of affordable rural housing being barriers to growth.

The RSN CX then turned to the potential of the rural economy, with recent research by Pragmatix Advisory, commissioned by the Rural Coalition, highlighting the potential for the rural economy to contribute £19bn to the Treasury if the barriers were removed.

Kerry finished with a plea for Government not to forget rural areas, to make them part of the discussion and solution for growth. She reminded the audience that the urban economy and the rural economy do not exist in isolation, and must both be considered, to ensure the growing prosperity of the nation.