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
A brief look at wage levels and self-employment

27 Nov 2014

A brief look at wage levels and self-employment

Bringing together data from the Office for National Statistics, it is possible to build a clear picture of lower average income for those working in rural areas.  This has obvious...

Read more
Recorded Crime

27 Oct 2014

Recorded Crime

Police forces in England and Wales are required to send police recorded crime data to the Home Office. The following analysis takes this quarterly data over the period September 2012...

Read more
Cycling Use For Non Recreational Purposes

15 Oct 2014

Cycling Use For Non Recreational Purposes

The Government has an ambition for increased levels of cycling, and it is easy to see how it would be beneficial both in easing road congestion as well as increasing...

Read more
Local Authority Businesses

28 Aug 2014

Local Authority Businesses

The risks and opportunities available for business in rural local authority areas can be quite unique from those in urban areas.  As a result the rate of new businesses created...

Read more
Local Authority Winter Maintenance Fleet

28 Aug 2014

Local Authority Winter Maintenance Fleet

Rural local authority areas have lower population densities, but many services need to be provided despite an area potentially having fewer people living there.  This is reflected when looking at...

Read more
Affordable Ratio Analysis

21 Aug 2014

Affordable Ratio Analysis

The online article ‘The 62 areas where houses are less affordable than London’, taken from the BBC News website, reflects the struggles of many people living in or looking to...

Read more
Take up of formal childcare by low income working families

15 May 2014

Take up of formal childcare by low income working families

Take-up of formal childcare by low income families can bring benefits to children’s learning and development.  This analysis looks at an authorities comparative situation against the rural/urban averages for all...

Read more
The Cost of Providing Swimming Facilities in Rural Communities

01 May 2014

The Cost of Providing Swimming Facilities in Rural Communities

Local authority managed leisure facilities such as swimming pools are increasingly under pressure to make efficiency savings or even survival.  With this view, the following is a brief look at...

Read more
Short Term International Migration Inflow

28 Apr 2014

Short Term International Migration Inflow

International migration into local authority areas can cause significant debate as to the benefits or pressures this brings to a community.  With this in mind, the following analysis looks at...

Read more
A look at social isolation

22 Apr 2014

A look at social isolation

Loneliness can be damaging both for physical and mental wellbeing. As such it is important to consider ways in which loneliness and social isolation can be minimised.  This analysis and...

Read more