Why a rural/market town grouping?

• The Rural Services Network are looking to group together rural Towns across England which are the meeting place or services centre for their adjacent rural areas by creating a Rural/Market Town Group. We believe there are approaching 1,000 such rural towns across England.
• Frequently these towns are described as Market Towns because of their history, although not all have had or once held a physical livestock or produce market or have any previous royal charter. Although many of these towns are relatively small they are often key social/service centres for their surrounding  rural areas. They are really important in their role which is often based on local geography and is often historic.
• These communities are a massively significant element of local rural life. We employ the word ‘Market’ because it signifies the gravitas of their role. Mostly these places will be known formally by the title ‘town’ but some still prefer to retain the older ‘parish’ title (and there is no problem from our viewpoint if that is the case).
• We look for these communities to come together from across England to learn from each other and to set out and present their unique promotional and representational case. We do believe it is in the national interest that this occurs. Rural/ Market Towns form a vital skeletal network throughout the whole of England and their interests need to be considered continually and promoted if that network is to actually thrive.

The RSN believes that Rural Communities in England have frequently been overlooked in a policy environment dominated by urban thinking and policy concerns. This often means those communities and their towns either miss out on the benefits or experience unintended consequences from policies which are poorly thought-through from a rural perspective. Government policy can currently consequently neglect these many hundreds of important rural towns across England. Rural/Market Towns are a vital part of both the rural and the national equation. They deserve more focus and the only way of seeking to achieve that is by working together.

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 this 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 now be expanded  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 also seek to create one collective voice to represent all these different types of rural areas across England, ensuring that no form of rural area becomes excluded.

We look to do as follows:

1. Create a Network across England enabling Rural/Market Towns to share best practice and concerns and arrive at consensus viewpoints (we will prove to you that this is worth the subscription on its own)
   
   
2. Give Rural/Market Towns collectively the essential Grouping necessary to create the opportunity to present their views and formulate their asks of decision makers.
   
   
3. Present a full annual programme that facilitates this joint working and ensures that individual Market Towns absolutely get really full value from membership. That programme is comprehensive and is attached in the accompanying word document.

Up to until now 233 Towns and Parishes have agreed to commence this group. Our target is 400 English Rural/Market Towns. We are similarly looking to bring together a separate Grouping of English Villages of similar size.

If we are to convince others we have to be convincing, ourselves, and that requires involvement. We need strength of numbers and collective work and thought. We will ensure the service is a strong one without it being onerous and that it gives back full value. Please can your rural town work with us to achieve a stronger national recognition for rural towns and for rural areas to the benefit of your residents and to the national economy. 

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.
• 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 (116):

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	Camelford Town Council
Bideford Town Council	Upper Arley Parish 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	Borden Parish Council	Wadebridge Town Council
Theale Parish Council	Witney Town Council	Ollerton and Boughton Town Council	Westbury Town Council	Barnstaple Town Council
Flitwick Town Council	Fordingbridge Town Council	Sutton Valence Council	Baildon Town Council	Sedgefield Town Council
Cottingham Parish Council	Overton Parish Council	Lyme Regis Town Council	Shepshed Town Council	Yarm Town Council
Gillingham Town Council	Waltham on the Wolds and Thorpe Arnold Parish Council	Meltham Town Council	Wincanton Town Council	Southwell Town Council
Lynton and Lynmouth Town Council	Hodnet Parish Council	Bradford on Avon Town Council	Broadway Parish Council	Rock Parish Council
Keynsham Town Council	Brodsworth Parish Council	Old Bolsover Town Council	Mirfield Town Council	New Waltham Parish Council
Melbourne Parish Council	Donington Parish Council	Dartmouth Town Council	Cinderford Town Council	Hemsworth Town Council
Howden Town Council	Southam Town Council	Redruth Town Council	Billinghurst Parish Council	Thurmaston Parish Council
Watchet Town Council	Heathfield and Waldron Parish Council	Kinver Parish Council	Wargrave Parish Council	Fazeley Town Council
Charlbury Town Council	Ventnor Town Council	Henley in Arden Parish Council	Malvern Town Council	Bromyard and Winslow Town Council
Walmer Parish Council	Grange Park Parish Council	Bruton Town Council	Lenham Parish Council	Chilham Parish Council

Established Rural Market Town Members (118):

Ackworth Parish Council	Alcester Town Council	Alnwick Town 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	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	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). 

We have in its infancy a Group that will provide a RSN subscription service for Parish Councils who are interested in village services . This service, the Rural Village Services Group will formally commence in the autumn. Details of this Group can be found under the Parish area of this website.  The Councils who have agreed to join this group thus far are:

Acle	Barton Under Needwood	East Budleigh with Bicton Parish Council	Middleton-in-Teesdale and Newbiggin Parish Council	Woodborough Parish Council
Sapcote Parish Council	Ruyton XI Towns Parish Council	Castor Parish Council