Dear Marie
Thank you to everyone who joined us last week for our first RSN Member Exclusive Seminar of the year. It was great to see members come together and we’re grateful to all who contributed their insight and experience.
We’re also pleased to share that the RSN is recruiting. We are currently seeking a Rural Evidence Analyst to join our team and help strengthen the evidence base that underpins our policy, advocacy and member support. Full details about the role and how to apply are included in this week’s Bulletin.
Last week, I also spoke with BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today about the Government’s Warm Homes Plan and what it means for rural households. The discussion focused on the importance of ensuring that retrofit and decarbonisation programmes are designed around the realities of rural housing, infrastructure and skills, so that rural communities are not left behind.
With the local government finance settlement expected shortly, we’ve set out five key questions that communities, councils and local organisations may wish to raise with their MP, focused on fairness, evidence and transparency for rural areas. Read them here.
Looking ahead, I will be back in London tomorrow, where I’m looking forward to attending the launch of the Association of Convenience Stores’ Rural Shop Report, alongside a number of parliamentary receptions hosted by our partners, continuing to strengthen relationships and ensure rural perspectives are represented.
This week’s Bulletin also brings together a wide range of policy updates, including new analysis on poverty, neighbourhood recovery, housing delivery, community pubs and homelessness, all viewed through a rural lens. As always, these articles reflect the breadth of issues affecting rural communities and the importance of joined-up, place-based policy.
Thank you, as ever, for reading and for your continued engagement.
Kerry Booth, Chief Executive, Rural Services Network
