Latest News
18 Apr 2018
Pressure mounts over rural potholes
The government is facing renewed calls to help fix thousands of potholes following harsh weather which has taken its toll on rural routes. Motorists are being urged to take extra...
Read more
18 Apr 2018
Major survey seeks views on rural crime
Rural residents are being urged to have their say in a major new survey about crime in the countryside. The National Rural Crime Survey aims to determine the true personal,...
Read more
13 Apr 2018
Closed courts threaten access to justice
The closure of magistrates’ courts is putting a strain on police budgets and threatens to undermine rural access to the justice system, says the Rural Services Network. RSN chairman Councillor...
Read more
12 Apr 2018
Crimewave as thefts hit five year peak
Rural insurer NFU Mutual has warned that Britain’s countryside is in the grip of a crimewave, as latest figures reveal a sharp rise in the cost of rural thefts. Initial...
Read more
11 Apr 2018
Rural issues of global importance – OECD
Rural areas are vital to national economies – both locally and around the world – and should be supported, says the OECD. The OECD released the the policy statement at...
Read more
10 Apr 2018
Mobile companies ‘abandon rural areas’
Mobile network operators are failing to submit planning applications that could help improve coverage in some of the worst served rural areas, say campaigners. Figures obtained by the Country Land...
Read more
09 Apr 2018
Services best delivered locally, says study
Commissioning local community organisations to deliver services boosts local economies, says a study. The pilot study found that together 10 local community organisations enabled approximately 1,400 jobs and £120m of gross value...
Read more
08 Apr 2018
£2m fund to restore rural buildings
A new grant scheme is offering funding for land managers to restore their historic farm buildings. Launched by Defra, Natural England and Historic England, the Historic Building Restoration Grant is...
Read more
04 Apr 2018
Revealed: Best rural places to live in 2018
The UK places with the best rural quality of life are revealed in the latest annual survey by British bank Halifax. Rutland in the East Midlands has been ranked the...
Read more
04 Apr 2018
100% business rates relief for broadband
A new scheme is to exempt new broadband fibre connections from business rates – benefiting rural communities, says the government. The Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2018 paves the way for full-fibre...
Read more