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The Financial Times and the Independent have reported that Royal Mail postal workers are now collecting parcels from customers’ doorsteps for the first time through a new service called Parcel Collect The service will cost 72p on top of...
The Financial Times reported that regional airline Flybe could be flying again early next year after being bought by a former shareholder The airline went bankrupt in March. The Exeter-based airline, which collapsed after loan talks with the Government...
On 13th October the Rural Services All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) met Steve Barclay MP The Chief Secretary to the Treasury to raise a number of rural issues ahead of the upcoming Spending Review. The RSN provides Secretarial Support to...
Newspapers, including The Telegraph and The Daily Mail, report on warnings from the National Audit Office (NAO) that rural communities are at risk of being ‘left behind again’ in a major upgrade of the broadband network The NAO said...
The Guardian reports on new proposals from the Treasury designed to safeguard accessibility to cash, which could mean shops would have to offer cashback even if customers do not make a purchase The Government aims to ensure no one...
The Guardian’s social policy editor argues that the pandemic has ‘exacerbated’ inequality in rural areas, and calls for a COVID-19 recovery strategy that ‘integrates town and country’ The article notes that while escaping to the countryside seems to offer...
Former chairman of the National Trust Simon Jenkins writes in Country Life that the Trust is failing in its conservation obligation to the countryside He argues that the new white paper on the future of British planning from the...
The Government has put in place a range of measures, unprecedented in recent times and amounting to approaching £300 billion to address the impact of the pandemic. In its most recent announcements on ameliorating the impact of the pandemic...
The Telegraph reports that the rate of change from physical to online banking is creating a ‘societal divide’ as people who are poorer, elderly, or those who live in rural areas, are the most likely to be left behind as...
The Local Government Chronicle reports on the launch of a new inquiry examining the effectiveness of devolution in England The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Devolution is calling for evidence on how central and local governments can work together more...
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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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