Why do we need a rural market town grouping?

The RSN believes that Rural Communities are frequently overlooked in a policy environment dominated by urban thinking and policy concerns. This often means communities either miss out on the benefits or experience unintended consequences from policies which are poorly thought-through from a rural perspective. This means that government policy currently neglects the many hundreds of important rural towns across England.

We believe these towns play a vital role not only in the lives of their inhabitants but also in both the local and national economy. That is why we want them to receive more focus.

Rural areas and their intricate network of rural communities should be able to realise their potential within the national economy and need to be appropriately recognised and supported in government thinking and actions.

What is the Rural Market Town Group?

To underline the importance of these English towns, the role they play and their potential going forward, The Rural Services Network have developed a new initiative to develop a Rural Market Town Grouping within the Rural Services Network. This new Grouping will work to add to our Call on Government for a Rural Strategy.

We have begun this initiative by approaching one town or the largest village in each of the 200+ rural areas across England which has been identified by Defra for their distinctive characteristic. This process will be expanded in time to ensure that all those that wish to be involved are fully engaged.

Whilst we appreciate and celebrate the diversity of our rural areas, we seek to create a universal voice to represent all different types of rural areas across England ensuring that no form of rural area is excluded.

Up to until now 180 Towns and Parishes have already agreed to commence the group.

→ View current members by clicking here

If other Rural Towns who we are yet to contact want to learn more about this matter, please contact us at admin@sparse.gov.uk

Services provided to the group will include:

• Weekly edition of the Rural Bulletin, the RSN publication which includes relevant rural news and articles highlighting key issues affecting rural service delivery and communities.
• Monthly Funding Digest which sets out funding and grant opportunities along with key Government Consultations relating to rural areas.
• An Area Profile of their Principal Council issued once a year setting out key statistics in relation to the rural area. This will help to give the overall picture of their local area to help plan services and understand local issues.
• Involvement in RSN Consultation Programme, this could include responding to Government White Papers, Call for Evidence and Select Committee Inquiries. In addition, they will help to develop the rural voice at a national level to ensure the voice of rural market towns and Larger Parish Councils are represented. This would be in the form of surveys, call for evidence / case studies.
• Dedicated Rural Market Town Group newsletter four times a year setting out key issues for the group and highlighting the work of the RSN where relevant to them.
• Free access to the Rural Services Network Seminar Programme, in 2021 this will include 9 seminars throughout the year on a range of key rural topics.
• Discounted access to the National Rural Conference.
• An Annual Rural Poll (via Survey Monkey) seeking to establish the top (up to 5) issues currently facing Group Member Councils. The results to be reported to and fully discussed by one of the twice-yearly meetings.
• Attendance at a twice - yearly meeting of the Rural Market Town Group (via ZOOM) - this group is for Councillors and its purpose is to enable networking and consider key issues at a strategic level for rural villages.
• Attendance at a yearly meeting of the Rural Market Town Group Clerks meeting – (via ZOOM), the purpose of the meeting is to enable networking and consider key issues at a strategic level for the clerks.
• Cataloguing of good practice and learning material related to key policy areas and challenges or opportunities for rural market towns and large Parishes.
• The pattern of local area Market Town meetings is mixed across England. The group could explore this to see if there is any improvement in areas where meetings / joint working is not taking place currently and look at how liaison can take place between this national facing group and existing area meetings.

Rural Market Town Material:

.New Rural Market Town Members (58):

Bakewell Town Council	Coggeshall Parish Council	Westerham Town Council	Billinge Chapel End Parish Council	Hedge End Town Council
Bridport Town Council	South Molton Town Council	Crowland Parish Council	Market Harborough	Clowne Parish Council
Lechlade on Thames Town Council	Penistone Town Council	Diss Town Council	Richmond Town Council	Bicester Town Council
Holt Town Council	Hullbridge Parish Council	Chipping Ongar Town Council	Barkham Parish Council	Axminster Town Council
Barlaston Parish Council	Birtley Parish Council	Bishops Castle Town Council	Chapel-en-le-Frith Parish Council	Charnock Richard Parish Council
Epworth Town Council	Harleston Town Council	Pickering Town Council	Snaith and Cowick Town Council	Somerton Town Council
Swanage Town Council	The Gorge Parish Council	Totnes Town Council	Alton Town Council	Chobham Parish Council
Brewood and Coven Parish Council	Peacehaven Town Council	Bovingdon Parish Council	Oundle Town Council	Middleton in Teesdale Parish Council
Camelford Town Council	Bideford Town Council	Easingwold Town Council	Luddesdown Parish Council	Minehead Town Council
Okehampton Town Council	Malton Town Council	Maldon Town Council	Great Dunmow Council	Moretonhampstead Parish Council
Addingham Parish Council	Edenbridge Town Council	Tadcaster Town Council	Hunstanton Town Council	Ripley Town Council
Hythe Town Council	Wirksworth Town Council	Ripponden Parish Council

Established Rural Market Town Members (122):

Ackworth Parish Council	Alcester Town Council	Alnwick Town Council	Alvechurch Parish Council	Ampthill Town Council
Arundel Town Council	Ashby de la Zouch Town Council	Atherstone Town Council	Balsall Parish Council	Belper Town Council
Biddenden Parish Council	Biddulph Town Council	Bingham Town Council	Bourne Town Council	Bovey Tracey Town Council
Brampton Parish Council	Buckingham Town Council	Burnham on Sea and Highbridge Town Council	Burscough Parish Council	Caistor Town Council
Carnforth Town Council	Chalfont St Giles Parish Council	Chard Town Council	Cheadle Town Council	Church Stretton Town Council
Cirencester Town Council	Clare Town Council	Cleator Moor Town Council	Clevedon Town Council	Clitheroe Town Council
Clun Town Council with Chapel Lawn	Corsham Town Council	Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Parish Council	Cranleigh Parish Council	Crediton Town Council
Dalton with Newton Town Council	Daventry Town Council	Downham Market Town Council	Earl Shilton Town Council	Earby Town Council
East Grinstead Town Council	East Horsley Parish Council	Faringdon Town Council	Faversham Town Council	Finedon Town Council
Frodsham Town Council	Garstang Town Council	Great Torrington Town Council	Guisborough Town Council	Hadleigh Town Council
Halstead Town Council	Hartley Witney Parish Council	Harworth and Bircotes Town Council	Hetton Town Council	Hexham Town Council
Holsworthy Town Council	Kendal Town Council	Keswick Town Council	Kirkby Stephen Town Council	Knaresborough Town Council
Knutsford Town Council	Launceston Town Council	Ledbury Town Council	Leominster Town Council	Longridge Town Council
Lutterworth Town Council	Lymm Parish Council	Mablethorpe and Sutton Town Council	Market Rasen Town Council	Marlborough Town Council
Midsomer Norton Town Council	Minster Parish Council	New Alresford Town Council	Newport Town Council	Normandy Parish Council
Oakham Town Council	Olney Town Council	Otley Town Council	Oxted Parish Council	Penrith Town Council
Penzance Town Council	Petersfield Town Council	Ripon City Council	Rothwell Town Council	Rye Town Council
Saffron Walden Town Council	Sandy Town Council	Saxmundham Town Council	Seaton Town Council	Shaftesbury Town Council
Sherborne Town Council	Shildon Town Council	Skipton Town Council	Sleaford Town Council	Sodbury Town Council
Soham Town Council	St Austell Town Council	St Ives Town Council	Stowmarket Town Council	Stroud Town Council
Swanley Town Council	Swineshead Parish Council	Tavistock Town Council	Tenbury Town Council	Tenterden Town Council
Thetford Town Council	Thornbury Town Council	Uckfield Town Council	Uppingham Town Council	Uttoxeter Town Council
Verwood Town Council	Wallingford Town Council	Warsop Parish Council	Wem Town Council	Wendover Parish Council
Wells City Council	West Chiltington Parish Council	Wetherby Town Council	Wheathampstead Parish Council	Whitby Town Council
Wisbech Town Council	Wotton-under-Edge Town Council

Reserve List

The following Councils have also been approached but because of the current lockdown measures affecting their operation, the pressure of extra work caused by the COVID emergency and/or the resulting reprogramming of the meetings they are unable to determine their council situation on this matter at this time. The Councils have indicated they are prepared therefore to go on a reserve list at this stage to safeguard their position so that they can consider the matter as they can. These Councils will therefore consider our invitation for them to be involved as they are able.

Barnard Castle (Durham), Bishopthorpe (York), Bradfield (Sheffield M.B.), Burnham on Crouch (Maldon), Capel (Mole Valley), Clifton Campville (Lichfield), Denby Dale (Kirklees), Dinnington and Maltby (Rotherham MB), Driffield (East Riding), Lenham (Maidstone), Midhurst (Chichester), Northallerton (Hambleton), Portland (Dorset), Sandwich (Dover), Shirebrook (Bolsover), South Elmsall (Wakefield), Sturry (Canterbury), Todmorden (Calderdale), Truro (Cornwall), and Windlesham (Surrey Heath).