Rural Economies
Economic growth is widely acknowledged as essential for national wealth and prosperity, and is a priority for political parties. Rural economies, employing millions and home to a higher proportion of small businesses, have potential for growth if barriers are removed.
16 Feb 2026
NAO Calls For Clarity Ahead Of New Housing Delivery Fund
A new report from the National Audit Office examines government programmes designed to unlock land for housing and highlights the steps needed to ensure value for money as a new...
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16 Feb 2026
Rural Connectivity In Focus
RSN Member Exclusive Seminar: Rural Connectivity Wednesday 25 February 2026 | 11:00–13:00 | Online Our next member-exclusive seminar will focus on Rural Connectivity, bringing together national policymakers, industry experts and...
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16 Feb 2026
Village Halls Week 2026
The popular campaign, Village Halls Week, is set to take place from 16-22 March 2026. The intention is always to raise awareness of England’s 10,000+ rural community buildings. In 2026...
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10 Feb 2026
RSN Initial Response: Final Local Government Finance Settlement Published
The Government has yesterday (9th February) published the Final Settlement for Local Government Finance ahead of the debate tomorrow in Parliament. You can find out more about the final settlement...
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10 Feb 2026
UK’s Rural Shops Invested Over £280m In Last Year
The Association of Convenience Stores launched the 2026 Rural Shop Report, in Parliament last week. The report reveals that rural retailers have spent over a quarter of a billion pounds...
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10 Feb 2026
Exploring the role of alternative clean heating solutions
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Closed 10 February 2026 Exploring the role of alternative clean heating solutions This consultation sought views on low carbon heating technologies that could...
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09 Feb 2026
Postal Services In Rural Areas Under Scrutiny In Westminster Hall
Rural MPs from across the political spectrum used a Westminster Hall debate on 4 February to raise serious concerns about the reliability of postal services and the future of post...
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09 Feb 2026
Public Digital Report On Challenges Facing Local Services
Public Digital has published a new report exploring how local public services can move beyond crisis management towards more preventative, collaborative and user-centred models of delivery. Drawing on a Public...
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02 Feb 2026
UK Poverty: The 2026 Picture
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s UK Poverty 2026 report shows that poverty remains a persistent feature of life for millions of people across the UK, with little overall change in headline...
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02 Feb 2026
New Homes Accelerator Expands
Phase 2 of the New Homes Accelerator has launched, widening support to unblock stalled housing developments and accelerate delivery across England. The programme has already helped speed up progress on...
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