Don’t forget rural arts and creative industries says RSN
The Rural Services Network (RSN) has generally welcomed the announcement by the Government of the launch of a £250m (£50M for 5 years) culture investment fund The fund will provide funding for a wide range of projects, including extending the Cultural Development Fund for another 5 years with over £90m of funding, which will enable […]
Bank causes uproar by scrapping free post office cash withdrawals
The Guardian reports a decision by Barclays to pull out of an agreement allowing bank customers to withdraw cash from post offices for free has been criticised as “shocking”. The bank is the only one to scrap over-the-counter cash withdrawals at Post Office branches, with 28 other UK banks signing up to a new deal […]
Subsidised broadband for rural communities
Some of the hardest-to-reach rural places in the UK are now eligible for government funding towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable* broadband to homes or businesses when part of a group project, thanks to the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme. Premises must be in rural areas where available broadband speeds are less than 30 Megabits per […]
Post office closures are destroying communities
An article published in the Yorkshire Post argues the importance of post offices to rural communities. It notes that post offices often support other small shops that have sprung up around them and is a ‘life-force for many fragile communities’ because it ‘attracts a steady stream of visitors from neighbouring hamlets and farms who need […]
Lord Foster: Rural Britain has been ignored for too long
Chair of the Lords Rural Economy Select Committee Lord Foster of Bath has argued this week in Politics Home that the Government needs to implement a comprehensive rural strategy. He says that rural residents have for a long time felt ignored and disregarded by those in power. The House of Lords established a Select Committee […]
Fairer police officer recruitment required for rural areas
The National Rural Crime Network have given their view on the Home Office announcement on police officer numbers for England and Wales. Julia Mulligan, Chair of the National Rural Crime Network and North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said: “Any additional police officers are welcome and sorely needed to ensure a more visible presence on […]
Coastal residents earn less than people living inland
BBC News analysis has found that people working in coastal areas in Britain earn on average £1,600 less per year. The most deprived areas in England are also found by the sea. BBC News analysed income data from the Office for National Statistics and found that in coastal constituencies, the typical (median) worker in 2018 […]
Barclays halts branch closures for two years
ITV News reports that Barclays bank has pledged not to close bank branches in remote areas, or where the bank is the last in the area for two years. Barclays said the freeze on closure will protect more than 100 branches until October 2021. The bank is also launching a cashback scheme enabling people to […]
Rural way of life under attack, says Countryside Alliance
Politicians should ‘stand up’ for the ‘rural way of life’ according to the new chairman of the Countryside Alliance. Nick Herbert, who was formerly a Conservative MP, has claimed that rural life is facing its biggest threat for 20 years, according to an article in the Daily Telegraph. In his first interview in the role, […]
The new £20 note unveiled
The bank of England have unveiled the design of the new £20 note featuring the artist JMW Turner It will be issued for the first time on 20 February 2020. The polymer £20 note contains sophisticated security features making it the most secure Bank of England banknote yet. For the first time, the note incorporates […]
