Press release

3 March 2008
For immediate release
Contact: Johann Tasker
(07967 634971)

COUNCILS DEMAND ACTION TO SUSTAIN
'FRAGILE' RURAL COMMUNITIES

A new report, Sustaining Rural Communities, was published on 3 March.

The document takes the form of a Call for Action.

It presses the government, public and private sector service providers on issues ranging from affordable housing and sustainable development in the countryside, through to caring for an ageing population and providing training for younger people.

These show that, despite the many attractions of life in the country, a high proportion of our rural communities face significant challenges in attaining the quality of life that the Government aspires to deliver for the country as a whole.

Key demands of the Call for Action include:

• a Government commitment from the Prime Minister to assume responsibility for, and act swiftly on, the findings of the Taylor Review into affordable rural housing;
• the Department of Communities and Local Government to lead a fundamental review of the way that the planning system (including the Planning Inspectorate) applies the test of ‘sustainability’ in rural areas;
• a systematic assessment and recognition of the additional costs of providing services in rural areas, meeting rural needs, in the distribution of public funds for the provision of services; and
• a high level commitment across Government to sustaining balanced and vibrant rural communities, stable for all for the long-term.

The Rural Services Network’s Chief Officer Graham Biggs MBE, said: “We are delighted to launch this call to action, which is the fruition of many months of work consulting our very broad range of members and stakeholders.

“As we have demonstrated time and again, it is unsustainable and iniquitous for people living in rural areas to pay more in council tax whilst receiving less by way of services.

“More than that, as many people look to move from urban areas to rural ones, it is fundamental that the infrastructure is put in place to allow new and existing rural communities to thrive.

“The Government has consistently not done enough to protect the needs of those living in rural areas and has broken its pledge that nobody should be disadvantaged because of where they live.

“We hope that our report will serve as a wake-up call that rural citizens are not prepared to be treated as second class.”

Notes for Editors:

1. The Call for Action was published at a press briefing at 1430 on Monday 3 March 2008 at LGA House (8th Floor), Smith Square, London SW1 3HZ. After publication, the Call for Action was handed in to the Department of Communities and Local Government.

2. The Rural Services Network is a group of more than 250 organisations working together to improve the delivery of rural services across England. Further information is available at www.rsnonline.org.uk .

3. The two operating arms of the network are the Sparsity Partnership for Authorities Delivering Rural Services (SPARSE) and the Rural Services Partnership.

4. National and local spokespeople are available for interviews. Please contact Toby Craig on 020 7067 0447 or Jon McLeod on 07775 530978.

5. To see a full list of members of the Rural Services Network, click here.

ENDS.