Future of Rural Areas
The RSN is challenging often overlooked rural threats such as chronic underfunding, changes in population and diminishing resources.
17 Jan 2017
‘Patchy’ services blight communities
Rural communities are suffering due to the patchy provision of key services, a major report has warned. Transport, education, health and welfare services that act as a lifeline to more...
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10 Jan 2017
Landowners outline rural housing ‘answers’
Rural business leaders have set out five action points they claim will help ease the shortage of affordable homes. The Country Land and Business Association, which represents landowners, farmers and...
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08 Jan 2017
Defra confirms £120m in rural funding
Defra secretary Andrea Leadsom has confirmed a £120m funding boost for rural businesses across England. Some £120m in funding will be made available to rural businesses – generating thousands of jobs...
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05 Jan 2017
MP backs calls for faster broadband
A Worcestershire MP is urging local businesses to help make the case for better rural broadband. Harriett Baldwin is calling on local entrepreneurs to take part in a survey to...
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02 Jan 2017
Garden villages ‘will ease housing crisis’
England’s first ever garden villages will help to ease the country’s housing crisis, says the government. Garden villages are settlements of between 1,500 and 10,000 homes. The location of the...
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23 Dec 2016
‘Sparsity’ funding to protect rural schools
Government plans will see small rural schools protected by a ‘sparsity’ funding factor have been broadly welcomed. Education secretary Justine Greening made the announcement in the House of Commons on...
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19 Dec 2016
Post Offices ‘must be more accessible’
POST Offices are becoming more important to local communities and should be more accessible, says the Rural Services Network. The RSN made the recommendation in response to a government consultation...
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15 Dec 2016
UK mobile coverage ‘worse than Albania’
Mobile phone network coverage in the UK is worse than in Romania, Albania and Peru, says a report. Britain is 54th in the world for 4G coverage, and the typical...
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09 Dec 2016
Crackdown against brazen fly-tippers
Councils are using new powers to crush vehicles belonging to fly-tippers who illegally dump rubbish in the countryside. Local authorities are also calling for the closure of a legal loophole...
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09 Dec 2015
Impacts of austerity on local services (2015) – Summary
The Rural Services Network have repeated a survey first carried out last year using their Sounding Board, established of Councillors from their Local Authority membership and also Parish Councillors from...
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