Rural Services Network - Rural Services Network

RURAL crimefighters could win £1000 by helping to keep countryside communities safe.

A MIXED picture of rural life is painted by the latest statistics published by DEFRA.

THE final share of a £20m funding pot to alleviate homelessness has opened for bids.

Up to £500,000 of new funding has been made available through one of the country's leading rural charities.

The impartiality of the BBC's coverage of rural areas of the UK is to be examined by a special review.

THE rural areas with the best quality of life have been pinpointed by an annual survey of Great Britain.

SHOPS owned and run by local communities reduce rural isolation, says a study by a leading charity.

PARISH and town councils have welcomed a programme to help people develop their own neighbourhood plans.

VITAL repairs are needed to minor roads and rural routes seriously damaged by winter weather, local authorities and business leaders have warned.

SYLVIA Brown, chief executive of the charity Action with Communities in Rural England, is to retire at the end of March.

PRINCE Charles has voiced his concern for rural communities, highlighting the importance of the British countryside.

LOCAL authorities are employing novel ways trying to ease housing problems.

A NEW scheme which aims to curtail rural thefts has been launched by Buckinghamshire County Council.

COUNCILS that have welcomed growth are getting a major boost to their spending power, says the government.

MORE than 300 community-run shops are being encouraged to enter the first awards for the sector.

RURAL families will be hardest hit by government plans to cap benefit increases, a leading charity has warned.

THE government is to "consider the case" for reducing the amount of fuel duty paid by remote rural communities.

A WET weather fund set up to help farmers and rural communities has reached £450,000.

THE controversial issue of reducing rural speed limits is to be debated by MPs.

COUNCILS are planning to build 272,720 fewer new homes since the abolition of regional planning, says a report.

A NEIGHBOURHOOD plan in Cumbria has become the first in the country to pass an independent examination.

THE cost of living is higher for families in the countryside than it is for those in towns and cities, reveals a report.

A NEW campaign has been launched to reduce the number of young driver deaths on rural roads.

THE government's housing agency is expected to meet targets to build more affordable homes.

RURAL businesses and communities are being urged to review security arrangements as darker nights draw in.

A film highlighting the challenges faced by older people in the countryside is to receive its TV debut.

GOVERNMENT plans for town and village greens are a "kick in the teeth" for localism, claim campaigners.

RURAL local authorities are becoming more vulnerable, reveals a study.

BETTER understanding could help increase the provision of affordable homes in the countryside, suggests a report.

MORE than 100 bids were made for a share of almost £360,000 earmarked for community projects by Surrey County Council.

A WEEK-LONG operation to combat rural crime has been hailed a success in Lancashire.

A CASH boost totalling £230,000 is helping to provide better services for rural communities in Cumbria.

The Prince's Countryside Fund has again opened for applications.

RURAL property is becoming less affordable, with house values outperforming urban areas since the financial crisis.

PEOPLE in the countryside are more likely than urban residents to enjoy where they live, reveals a survey.

A MAJOR housing and planning package does not go far enough, say rural business leaders.

APPLICATIONS for funding from the Village SOS scheme are due to close at 2.30pm on 12 September.

THE eighth annual Countryside Alliance Awards – dubbed the Rural Oscars – have opened for entries.

HOUSING associations have hit out at recommendations that expensive social housing should be sold off.

ALMOST £500,000 is available for rural projects in two districts of East Sussex.

COUNTRYSIDE crime is on the rise with thefts topping £50m last year, suggests a leading rural insurer.

A NEW series of rural proofing resources aims to help those developing and delivering services at a local level.

GRANTS of up to £6000 are available to help residents on income related benefits keep save money on energy bills.

THE Plunkett Foundation has smashed its five-year target of helping rural communities by encouraging residents to set up social enterprises.

THE cost of living in the countryside has risen almost twice as fast as in urban areas over the past year.

BUILDERS are backing a government scheme designed to help first-time buyers onto the housing ladder, claims the government.

SMALL towns are at the centre of a rural revival, local councillors have been told.

PEOPLE in remote rural communities are often forced to pay more for goods and services, says the government's competition watchdog.

RURAL residents have been praised in parliament for starting their own scheme to bring faster broadband to the countryside.

MEMBERS of the Rural Services Network can obtain a special discount when booking a place at the 2012 rural policy conference.