Government funds rural broadband
Philip Hammond on Monday announced £200 million of Government funding to extend full-fibre broadband to hard-to-reach rural areas. The Rural Gigabit Connectivity Programme will install hubs in public buildings such as primary schools and libraries first. A voucher scheme, part of the National Productivity Investment Fund, will then allow full-fibre connectivity to nearby homes and […]
Rural areas ‘least socially mobile’
A report recently published by the County All-Party-Parliamentary Group (APPG) and County Councils Network (CCN), Social Mobility in Counties, has found that current council funding models contribute to maintaining a cycle of low social mobility, Open Access Government reports. The report also found that all ten of the least socially mobile areas of England were […]
The Budget 2018 – Response review
There has been much comment on the Chancellor’s Budget in the press. The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) welcomed the introduction of a Structures and Buildings Allowance for non-residential structures as well as an increase in the Annual Investment Allowance, bringing it to £1 million. Minette Batters, NFU president, raised concerns over the 4.9 per cent […]
Rules against rural school closures
Closing a rural school in Wales should only happen after councils have done “everything they can” to keep it open, according to new guidelines. Changes to the School Organisation Code from Thursday include the presumption against the closure of rural schools. Campaigners in some areas have accused councils of trying to rush closures through in […]
O2 boosts rural 4G Coverage
UK mobile network operator, O2, has promised to improve 4G coverage in 330 rural towns and villages across the UK with a £45 million expansion project, according to TotalTelecom and ITV. An estimated 250,000 people are likely to be affected by the improvements. The announcement coincides with the launch of a new report commissioned by […]
Budget Review – Implications for Rural Communities
The Treasury have provided us with a summary of announcements from the Budget 2018 which benefit Rural Areas. Below is a table showing these announcements set against the RSN Priorities. There are also some comments from RSN in relation to whether they are rural initiatives or whether they benefit both rural and urban. […]
Spotlight on the RSP – November 18 Edition
We are thrilled by the ever-increasing interest in the Rural Services Partnership and the variety of organisations that have joined this month are a clear example of its diverse representation. This month we’ve been joined by Vectos, The National Care Forum, Bipolar UK and The Foundation for Social Improvement. To see more about the […]
RHCA Member – National Rural Mental Health Forum
Support in Mind Scotland believes that we have specific expertise in understanding and responding to serious mental ill-health and so we have identified some themes that are of particular interest to us: Health Inequalities – addressing the poorer physical health outcomes for those with serious mental illness Forensic Mental Health Services – supporting family members […]
