Government fails to reduce urban rural gap in broadband and mobile
A Report from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee published last week has highlighted the continuing digital divide between urban and rural areas. The Inquiry into Rural only Digital and Broadband services took evidence from a number of rural experts including Graham Biggs, the Chief Executive of the Rural Services Network. The Committee has […]
Prime Minister backs local green belt campaign
The Prime Minister has lent his support to a local Wolverhampton campaign to protest against plans to build 1,300 homes on green belt land. The Express and Star reports that Boris Johnson met with Stuart Anderson, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Wolverhampton South West, and the pair discussed the campaign. Anderson said: ‘I was able […]
Poorer areas losing more free ATMs
New analysis by Which? demonstrates that free-to-use cash machines are vanishing more quickly in deprived areas. ITV covers the news that nine per cent of free cash machines across the UK had closed or become fee-paying during the 17 months after changes were made to how the network is funded. Reductions to the fees card […]
Warning planning system ‘bypassed’ in rural areas
A rise in the number of barn conversions means that rural communities are missing out on essential infrastructure and local services, according to the Local Government Association (LGA). PA Media reports on figures published by the LGA that reveal the number of agricultural to residential conversions in England has increased 230 per cent from 2015 […]
Labour Party Conference Motions
With party conference season well under way, the Labour Party has announced a range of new measures that, if passed, would have an impact on rural residents. The Mirror reports that Labour has plans for a team of 200 new social welfare lawyers in law centres to ‘help people with benefits and debt’. £18 million […]
No-deal Brexit impact on rural areas
Councillors in Shropshire have emphasised the ‘huge impact’ that a no-deal Brexit would have on England’s rural areas, as reported by the Shropshire Star. Green Party Councillor Julian Dean put forward a motion calling on his local authority to oppose leaving the EU without a deal. He argued: ‘We note the threat to people’s health due […]
