The National Rural Conference 2025

Bookings are now officially open for the National Rural Conference 2025, which will take place online from Monday 15 to Thursday 18 September.
This is the Rural Services Network’s flagship event of the year, bringing together rural decision-makers, practitioners, and advocates for four days of live, interactive sessions focused on the future of rural communities.
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Northern Powerhouse ‘undermined’ by austerity

Social Affairs Correspondent for the Independent, May Bulman, comments on a report released by the Institute for Public Policy Research North on the state of the north-south divide in the UK.

The report marks five years since former chancellor George Osborne announced his vision for a Northern Powerhouse – bringing together cities, towns and rural communities in the north to promote economic growth.

The report shows that the north-south divide has increased, with public spending in the north falling by £3.6bn since 2009-10 while in the south east and southwest it has risen by £4.7bn in real terms.

In that time, the report also finds transport spending rose by £330 per person in London and just £149 per person in the north. The report also finds that 200,000 more northern children are now living in a poor household than before.

Full article:

? The Independent -  The north is still Westminster’s unloved stepchild. And Brexit is only going to make things worse