T: 01822 851370 E: [email protected]
People are being warned to stay away from England's rural beauty spots amid the coronavirus lockdown, despite expected warm weather over this weekend and as Easter approaches, according to the BBC Despite a ‘dramatic reduction’ in tourist visits already,...
Arts Council England is a member of our Rural Services Partnership Covid-19 Joint Statement from Arts Council England and Local Government sector partners: In every community culture helps people live rich and fulfilled lives. Museums,...
We are working in extraordinary times at the moment, but we wanted to take this opportunity to let you know that, at the Rural Services Network, our staff are all working remotely and are still here to provide services to...
With communities in lockdown at home, online delivery slots booked up several weeks in advance, and in England’s rural areas, 11% of premises – households and businesses – are unable to access a broadband connection with 10 Mbps there is...
At the Rural Services Network we recently sent to all of our local authority SPARSE-Rural members (for whom we carry out work and representations on the Local Government Funding Formula) a report from our Finance Consultants - Pixel setting out...
Sky News reports on research published by Oxford University's Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science that warns of potential ‘hospital deserts’ - areas where demand for beds for coronavirus patients is likely to outstrip supply as the illness spreads Currently,...
The Rural Economy is home to over half a million registered businesses, which makes up 24% of all of the registered businesses in England. Most registered businesses in rural areas are small and almost 18% of them have no employees,...
The Melton Times reports how Melton and Rutland MP, Alicia Kearns, has been pressing the Government to introduce more stringent measures to combat rural organised crime She secured a Westminster Hall debate on 18th March to call for a...
On Wednesday, Farming UK echoed calls for the Government to issue 'rural proofed' support for businesses in the countryside impacted by the coronavirus Rural businesses, which often differ considerably to those in urban areas, risk being overlooked in support...
by Martin Fagan, National Secretary, the Community Heartbeat Trust charity We are facing unprecedented times. However, in villages and communities around the country people are showing true altruism and volunteering to help neighbours. Over 500k responded to the...
Sign up to receive all our latest news and updates.
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.
Sign up to our newsletter to receive all the latest news and updates.