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
House building

15 Apr 2014

House building

Housing supply is a constant issue of concern for both policy makers and for those wishing to join the property market. With this in mind, the following analysis takes a...

Read more
Travel to work

07 Apr 2014

Travel to work

Being able to access appropriate employment is vital for any community to thrive, and for a rural community this often comes with the need to travel. This analysis looks at...

Read more
Parking Operations Revenue

13 Mar 2014

Parking Operations Revenue

Parking charges by local authorities bring a valuable source of income for the provision of public services to already stretched budgets.  They are however contentious, and can be seen as...

Read more
The Changing Measure of Fuel Poverty

07 Mar 2014

The Changing Measure of Fuel Poverty

Based on a review of fuel poverty by Professor Sir John Hills, the Department of Energy & Climate Change has employed a new measure of fuel poverty.  This analysis shows...

Read more
Active People Survey Analysis 7

20 Dec 2013

Active People Survey Analysis 7

The seventh year of the survey, Active People Survey 7, started in mid October 2012 and ran continuously for 12 months until mid October 2013. The full year results were...

Read more
Police recorded crime and workforce information

19 Dec 2013

Police recorded crime and workforce information

Rural isolation and the fear of crime are serious life quality issues that can be addressed by an efficient police service.  The following analysis takes a look at the data...

Read more
An analysis of Public Health England’s Health Profile Data for 2015

17 Dec 2013

An analysis of Public Health England’s Health Profile Data for 2015

Public Health England produce a series of Health Profiles that are designed to help local government and health services identify problems in their areas and decide how to tackle them....

Read more
Concessionary Travel in England

03 Oct 2013

Concessionary Travel in England

A brief look at the concessionary travel arrangements provided by Travel Concession Authorities – Concessionary Travel in England Analysis– Analysis User Guide

Read more
Road Accidents and Safety Analysis

15 Apr 2013

Road Accidents and Safety Analysis

The statistics on road accidents and the severity of the casualties demonstrate clear differences between rural and urban.   Accidents involving buses or coaches are more prevalent in urban areas...

Read more
The Rural to Urban Migration

15 Mar 2013

The Rural to Urban Migration

The transition through life from late teen to young adulthood presents a number of choices socially, professionally and academically. For many young adults living in rural areas, the choice to...

Read more