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Loneliness during lockdown has been found to be more intense in ‘poorer, urban areas’ and places with a higher proportion of young people, according to an Office for National Statistics survey reported by the BBC this week Former industrial...
The Financial Times reports on the challenge facing the Government in helping the country emerge from lockdown and tackling a longer-term decline of town centres COVID-19 has ‘accelerated existing trends’ in Britain’s economy, which includes the decline of the...
The Daily Mail reports that shoppers will be able to spend up to £100 using contactless payments under new rules This is the second rise in the limit since last spring, when it went up from £30. The...
Farming UK has reported on calls for the Government to back British tourism this summer following the Prime Minister’s announcement of the country's post-lockdown roadmap last week The sector welcomed news that rural tourism including shops and outdoor hospitality...
PA Media has covered the results of a new report suggesting that extra pressure on broadband connections is forcing people to resort to using mobile phones to stay online during lockdown More than a third of people (36 per...
Local paper Hereford Times has reported on calls for Boris Johnson to take urgent action to help pupils lacking the devices or connections needed to learn at home as schools shut down during the third lockdown Former Prime Minister...
The Telegraph reports on complaints raised by rural residents that they are being ‘penalised’ through COVID-19 restrictions that unfairly affect rural communities Following the November nation-wide lockdown, the article calls on the Government to ‘never again resort to a...
The Telegraph has reported on warnings from Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab MP (Con) over the possibility of a third national lockdown if the country fails to ‘get the balance right’, throwing proposals to ‘decouple’ rural areas from the most restrictive...
The website LocalGov.co.uk reports that the Local Government Association (LGA) is urging the Government to work with councils to develop a clear lockdown exit strategy The LGA said that Whitehall must learn from the past seven months to work...
Several newspapers, including the Mirror and the Telegraph, have criticised the Government’s COVID-19 restrictions in the north as being unfair, when infection rates in some areas of the south are not far behind The articles allege that the Government...
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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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