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A GROUP of independent candidates hoping to be elected police commissioners have joined forces over the inadequacy of rural police funding. The group involves David Bowles (candidate for Lincolnshire), Mary Robinson (Cumbria), Martyn Underhill (Dorset) and Richard Hibbs...
RURAL stakeholders are urged to respond to a government consultation detailing planned changes to subsidised bus services. The Department for Transport consultation on changes to the bus subsidy system includes proposals to change the Bus Service Operators Grant...
A NEW bus service connecting 26 parishes to the town of Buckingham has been described as a rural lifeline. The subsidised Saturday service will allow parishes in the Buckingham area who do not currently receive a service to...
DISCRETIONARY grants are vital to community transport schemes in rural areas, says a new report. Community transport is growing despite funding challenges, says the Community Transport Association State of the Sector Report for England . The...
A SHAKE-UP in government funding could lead to the closure of rural schools, fear campaigners. It follows a shake-up of the complicated formula used to calculate how much cash individual schools receive from the government's central funding pot....
RURAL local authorities face big challenges when it comes to providing services for older people in the countryside, suggests a study. The warning comes in a report examining social isolation experienced by older people in England's rural areas...
ELIGIBILITY for the government's Warm Front scheme has changed, with additional benefits for successful applicants. The Warm Front scheme provides heating and insulation improvements to households on income-related benefits in properties that are poorly insulated or don't have...
THE government has unveiled funding to help communities bring jobs and homes to their neighbourhood using improved planning powers. Neighbourhood planning gives people a major say in shaping development in their area. It gives communities the power...
RURAL businesses and communities are expected to be among the main beneficiaries of faster next-generation mobile broadband. Everything Everywhere – the company behind Orange and T-Mobile – has been given the go-ahead to offer so-called 4G services from...
Community transport initiatives are helping connect more villages and provide a better service for local residents. Four subsidised bus services in Gloucestershire are being replaced by a Forest Community Transport service. The service is operated by Forest-based...
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Amid reduced public spending, fair resource allocation across regions is crucial. Despite a population larger than Greater London, rural areas receive significantly less funding for essential services, even though delivering these services in rural areas is more expensive.
Economic growth is widely acknowledged as essential for national wealth and prosperity and is a priority for political parties. Rural economies, employing millions and home to a higher proportion of small businesses, have potential for growth if barriers are removed.
Rural residents face distinct healthcare challenges, including limited access to transport, longer distances to medical facilities, an aging demographic, housing inadequacies, digital connectivity gaps, and difficulties recruiting health and care workers.
Rural communities are grappling with a severe affordable housing crisis, marked by high house prices, a lack of affordable housing, elevated living costs, and lower incomes, threatening their sustainability and vitality.
Transport is vital for the quality of life and economic health of rural areas, yet it faces challenges such as infrequent public bus services and less Government funding compared to urban regions.
Rural areas, encompassing a substantial portion of England's population and land, play a pivotal role in combating climate change and achieving the net zero target.
In an increasingly digital world, the lack of robust digital infrastructure in rural areas severely limits access to crucial services and stifles economic growth.
A future-focused vision for rural communities involves not just building the right homes in the right places but also ensuring thriving, sustainable communities.
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