SPARSE Rural exists to argue the rural funding case to Government and to network and share rural best practice.

It relies almost entirely on membership subscriptions from the Sparse Rural Special Interest Group and from its sister organisation involving non Local Government organisations, the Rural Services Partnership. Together the two organisations work as the Rural Services Network.

In return for membership, SPARSE Rural members receive the services outlined on our necessities leaflet here.

It is a subscription organisation with a difference attempting (largely as a result of voluntary input) assistance to its members across the realm of performance, finance, economic development and access advice and comparison. This work which we very much hope members find helpful. Our intention is to ‘give back’ to members work above the value of their subscription. There are 113 Local Authorities classified by Government as Predominantly Rural. There is obviously much to be gained by them all working together but persuading all of them to pay a subscription obviously presents a challenge. By ‘giving back’ service in this way we hope we can meet that challenge and ensure full membership.

We now have decided however to go one step further in trying to assist authorities who assist us. THIS OFFER WILL BE IN ADDITION TO THE FREE SERVICES DETAILED ABOVE.

We appreciate that many authorities will have to trim staff to maintain budgets in areas where they would have preferred not to. Inevitably this can lead to difficulties when remaining staff go sick leaving the authority exposed. We wish to help our members as much as we possibly can through what over the next few years is going to be a particularly difficult time.

As a member of SPARSE Rural we are prepared to give to your authority, on top of the information and comparison service details, the following:-

• Additional advice on Finance, Performance, or Economic Development issues at a nominal rate of £20 per hour up to a maximum of 15 hours (two working days), per member authority, per subscription year.

• Further subsidised advice on these issues at an hourly rate of only £40 per hour, for a further 25 hours per member authority, per subscription year.

Taken together this constitutes a combining saving of £800 against lowest commercial rates.

It will be appreciated this is a very supportive offer for members. Obviously the offer is subject to available staff resource but we will do all we can to assist every request.

We do this for one simple reason. We do not wish any member authority to have to say we support all that the organisation stands for but we cannot afford membership at a time when we have to cut back services which directly impact on the public. Here is our way of further demonstrating that you receive return value for your subscription and that you have in place back up insurance to maintain three key service areas during periods of emergency.

In all instances we will guarantee the contractual service provided. Service will normally be provided remotely but we make visits to your offices as you require for reimbursement of expenses incurred.

We also intend to identify various smaller ‘family’ groupings of authorities inside SPARSE Rural who have Financial, Performance areas or Economic Development matches. It is obviously difficult to do extension work here on the basis of a low overall subscription but we are happy to apply the low locum rates to any work these groupings decide collectively to undertake.

It is our very firm belief that authorities in rural areas are disadvantaged by the current grant scheme. We will do all in our power to seek to improve that system but we do feel equally strongly that if authorities who are predominantly rural in character can work together, share information and pool resource to the greatest effect we can continue to provide slick, informed local government to meet the demands of local people. Continuity of service is vital and we very much hope this element of our membership offer can assist to that end.