Latest News
07 Apr 2017
Crime taskforce celebrates anniversary
A POLICE team dedicated to serving rural communities is celebrating its first anniversary – and its 100th arrest. One year in, and North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce says it is...
Read more
05 Apr 2017
Bank closures to hit rural businesses
A fresh round of bank branch closures threatens to make life difficult for rural firms, say business leaders. Some 100 branches owned by the Lloyds Banking Group are expected to...
Read more
02 Apr 2017
Revealed: Best rural places to live
Britain’s best rural places to live in 2017 have been revealed in the latest annual quality of life survey. The Orkney Islands are rated as the rural district of the...
Read more
02 Apr 2017
Energy measures ‘help vulnerable homes’
Rural communities will benefit from new measures to make homes cheaper to heat, says the government. Changes to the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) will make sure energy companies give support...
Read more
31 Mar 2017
Bus service combats rural isolation
An award-winning bus service is helping rural residents access healthcare, training and employment and leisure services. Tailored to the needs of its passengers, the Bwcabus service serves rural Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion...
Read more
31 Mar 2017
Ofcom seeks broadband investment
Ofcom has announced measures it says will promote investment in new fibre broadband networks. The telecoms watchdog says it wants to protect broadband customers and promote competition, by cutting the...
Read more
27 Mar 2017
Rural schools ‘need fairer funding’
Rural schools will lose out because of an unfair funding formula, the Rural Services Network has warned. Inconsistencies in funding for individual schools with similar characteristics across the country are...
Read more
27 Mar 2017
Experts outline Brexit approach for rural policy
Experts have called for a more holistic approach to rural policy as the UK prepares to leave the European Union. It comes as the government prepares to trigger the Article...
Read more
27 Mar 2017
Rural businesses lack reliable broadband
Rural businesses are twice as likely to have inadequate internet connections as those in cities, says a study. Companies say they lack reliable broadband connections, despite ranking fully functional broadband...
Read more
23 Mar 2017
Councils highlight importance of services
Representatives from England’s 10,000 parish and town aim to raise their profile by marching on parliament. The third ever ‘Lobby Day’ by the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) will see...
Read more