Observatory (Archive)

The Observatory opens the window to a statistical view of rural life. It provides analyses and comment on key service provision and issues affecting rural communities.

 ECONOMY 

The Observatory section on the Economy looks at all elements of the rural economy such as employment, small businesses and wage levels to build a picture of the impact on rural communities.

 HOUSING

Balancing the housing market, improving the quality of housing stock, and enabling the provision of affordable housing are all key issues which concern rural local authorities. These are often topical issues and the Housing section of the Observatory considers what the data available can tell us about the position in rural communities, and what challenges rural communities might face in the future.

 ENVIRONMENT

Both rural and uban environments face similar challenges with issues such as flooding, flytipping however the implications of these issues can be significant in rural areas where the cost of dealing with them is significantly higher per incident. Delivering waste management services to rural communities also has significant challenges in terms of cost and logistics and analysis on these issues and other environmental concerns are included in this section.

 HEALTH, WELLBEING & SOCIAL SERVICES

A civilized society is one in which health and wellbeing are promoted, and care is provided to those requiring help or assistance to live a full and productive life. The benefits of a healthy community are measurable both in terms of economy and the relative levels of happiness and fulfillment experienced. Likewise, the negative impact of health inequality is also a measurable factor in the wellbeing of a community. This section of the Observatory takes a look at the indicators of health, wellbeing, and the functions of social services to provide a perspective on how rural communities fare in these measures.

 LEARNING, SKILLS & EDUCATION 

The mission of the Department for Education is to develop a highly educated society in which opportunity is more equal for children and young people no matter what their background or family cirumstance. This section of the Observatory investigates whether these opportunities extend to children and young people from rural England.

 LOCAL SERVICES 

What makes our rural communities sustainable and vibrant? At the heart of our communities are elements such as access to services, healthcare, education, shops and community facilities. This section includes analysis in these areas.

 TRAVEL & TRANSPORT

Transport, travel and the associated infrastructure required to move about an area are particularly important to those living in rural isolation to access services, education/training and employment. The Travel and Transport section of the Observatory presents data that shows the reality of rural life and rural service provision.

 EMERGENCY SERVICES  

Emergency services provision including fire and rescue services, face particular challenges in their rural communities that can be quite different to their neighbouring urban communities. This section of the Observatory includes data on these issues and also considers community safety and related issues for rural communities.

 ENGLISH INDICES OF DEPRIVATION 

The English indices of deprivation 2015 were published in September 2015, and measure the relative deprivation of small areas in England. Details can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-indices-of-deprivation-2015
Statistics on relative deprivation in England are given in this section.

Hot Topics
National Travel Survey

28 Sep 2020

National Travel Survey

Travel in rural areas is a key issue affecting residents access to services and employment. The attached spreadsheet is an analysis of the National Travel Survey 2019, looking specifically at...

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Local planning authority performance

28 Jul 2020

Local planning authority performance

Local planning authority performance is an important area to manage and monitor, with significant consequences where an authority is deemed to be underperfoming against set criteria (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/improving-planning-performance-criteria-for-designation). To help understand...

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Over 65 population projections (2012 to 2043)

27 May 2020

Over 65 population projections (2012 to 2043)

The following analysis demonstrates the future challenges facing local authorities in supporting communities, with predicted ageing populations for all authority types. The predicted proportion of population who are 65 and...

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Spotlight on the RSN Observatory

07 Oct 2019

Spotlight on the RSN Observatory

The RSN’s Observatory is the place to discover the statistics behind key issues facing rural communities in England, issues that the RSN is striving to highlight and tackle through its...

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Spotlight on the RSN Observatory

19 Aug 2019

Spotlight on the RSN Observatory

The RSN’s Observatory is the place to discover the statistics behind key issues facing rural communities in England, issues that the RSN is striving to highlight and tackle through its...

Read more
Model-based estimates of unemployment

22 Jul 2019

Model-based estimates of unemployment

This analysis shows the quarterly fluctuations in estimates of unemployment levels and rates for a chosen member authority over a period of four years. It also charts the rates for...

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Jobseekers Allowance

22 Jul 2019

Jobseekers Allowance

The Jobseekers Allowance claimant rate measures the number of claimants as a proportion of resident population. This spreadsheet provides for a member authority an analysis over time plus the rural...

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Spotlight on the RSN Observatory

24 Jun 2019

Spotlight on the RSN Observatory

The RSN’s Observatory is the place to discover the statistics behind key issues facing rural communities in England, issues that the RSN is striving to highlight and tackle through its...

Read more
Homelessness

31 Jan 2019

Homelessness

Homelessness is not an issue isolated to urban areas.  This analysis takes a look at homelessness and homelessness provision in your local authority area. Homelessness analysis– Analysis User Guide

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Walking & Cycling Statistics

29 Jan 2019

Walking & Cycling Statistics

The Government has an ambition for increased levels of activity both through cycling and walking.  The following analyses take a look at statistics from the Department for Transport, and shows...

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