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This Bank Holiday weekend, as countless families head to England's rural and coastal areas, the Rural Services Network (RSN) urges policymakers and leaders to acknowledge the untapped potential and vibrancy of rural communities. Rural areas are not simply serene retreats,...
This analysis presents data on housing affordability. Access to affordable housing is a continuing issue and the ratio of house price to earnings continues to be an issue in many communities where local wages do not match the cost of...
This analysis is taken from the final outturn estimates of local authority revenue expenditure and financing, and provides the expenditure per head for each service area, the corresponding percentage of total service expenditure, and in both cases an average for...
Local Authorities are responsible for the collection of household waste. They are also required to provide a recycling service. LATEST RSN ANALYSIS: 2022/23 Residual Household Waste Per Household Analysis user guide District...
The Spring Budget , presented last week by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, has sparked interest and concern among rural communities and their advocates. The Rural Services Network (RSN) has identified areas of potential benefit for rural areas while also noting...
The Benefits Processing analysis within the Performance Benchmarking section on the RSN website has now been updated to Quarter 2 2023/24. The speed of processing is a measure of the average time it takes to process a new Housing Benefit...
The Rt Hon Michael Gove has today (24th Jan) through written statement announced that he proposes to increase the Rural Services Delivery Grant by £15million for 2024/2025 resulting in a total of £110 Million. The Rural Services...
Economy Insight on the RSN website has now been updated with an analysis examining employment landscape at the local authority level. The analysis shows proportions of employees in broad industrial sectors over the years 2015 to 2021 and allows selection...
The Planning Turnaround analysis, within the Performance Benchmarking section of the RSN website, has now been updated for the year to June 2023. These analyses provide benchmarking on speed of decisions for 'major', 'minor' and 'other' development types. ...
The latest Council Tax & NNDR (National Non Domestic Rates) Collection analysis is now available on the RSN website for RSN Sparse member authorities here . The analysis provides benchmarking on the collection rates of council tax and...
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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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