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Barriers to Access
On Tuesday 2nd of October the Health Secretary announced additional £240m funding for social care. Funding to local authorities will be payable in 2018-19 to help deal with winter pressures. In the statement, the Health Secretary says: “I...
Introduction SMARTA is an international research and demonstration project which is developing new insights into the challenges faced by rural communities across the world in maintaining good transport and accessibility. The project consortium offers expertise to selected rural...
There was broad media coverage of Theresa May’s speech at the Conservative Party Conference, during which she announced that she is lifting the borrowing cap on local councils to help solve the housing crisis. Scrapping the cap means that...
The Times reports on calls from the Tesco boss for a two per cent tax on goods sold online to support ‘bricks-and-mortar’ retailers. Dave Lewis, Tesco’s chief executive, said an online sales tax would raise roughly £1.25 billion and...
How we pay for goods and services, and how we access cash are changing rapidly with rural consequences, finds Brian Wilson. The continuing closure of bank branches, along with recent evidence about the loss of cash machines (ATMs), is...
Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Rebecca Long-Bailey MP was interviewed by the Eastern Daily Press during the Labour Party Conference about plans to protect rural bank branches. She said a Labour Government would hand...
Some of the hardest to reach homes and businesses in Herefordshire are set to benefit from faster broadband thanks to an innovative new approach. Herefordshire Council’s broadband initiative, Fastershire has secured funding to provide superfast broadband access for some...
ITV News covered the Post Office’s financial results, which showed that it has continued to enjoy profit growth for the second consecutive year. The positive figures were driven by financial services, telecoms and insurance offered by the Post Office,...
The Times highlighted concerns that free cash machines could disappear within the next decade, following figures showing that 250 machines per month are closing as consumers opt for cashless payment options. There are currently 53,000 free-to-use cash machines in...
Implementing the Broadband USO Briefing note by the Rural Services Network September 2018 (This briefing note can be downloaded here ) Context Despite the achievements of the Government’s superfast broadband programme, around 500,000...
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HOT TOPICS
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 areas is more expensive.
Economic growth is widely acknowledged as essential for national wealth and prosperity and is a priority for political parties. Rural economies, employing millions and home to a higher proportion of small businesses, have potential for growth if barriers are removed.
Rural residents face distinct healthcare challenges, including limited access to transport, longer distances to medical facilities, an aging demographic, housing inadequacies, digital connectivity gaps, and difficulties recruiting health and care workers.
Rural communities are grappling with a severe affordable housing crisis, marked by high house prices, a lack of affordable housing, elevated living costs, and lower incomes, threatening their sustainability and vitality.
Transport is vital for the quality of life and economic health of rural areas, yet it faces challenges such as infrequent public bus services and less Government funding compared to urban regions.
Rural areas, encompassing a substantial portion of England's population and land, play a pivotal role in combating climate change and achieving the net zero target.
In an increasingly digital world, the lack of robust digital infrastructure in rural areas severely limits access to crucial services and stifles economic growth.
A future-focused vision for rural communities involves not just building the right homes in the right places but also ensuring thriving, sustainable communities.
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