Dear Marie
Last week I had the opportunity to take part in the Planet C Conference at the Eden Project, hosted by the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce. The conference drew on the findings of the Pretty Poverty Report and explored how we can build a more equitable society in places like Cornwall, where deprivation and inequality are often hidden. It was valuable to share insights from RSN’s work on rural fair funding and highlight how national policy and funding allocations can overlook the additional costs of delivering services in sparsely populated areas.
We also continue to raise rural issues, yesterday I spoke with ITV Anglia about the pressures caused by rising heating oil prices and the challenges this creates for rural households.
Alongside this, we continue our engagement with government and Parliament. Recently, I recently gave evidence to a parliamentary inquiry examining how devolution is understood in rural areas and what is needed to ensure rural communities benefit from new governance structures.
This week we will be submitting our response to the NPPF consultation, continuing our advocacy for policy that works for rural places. We will also be monitoring developments following the Chancellor’s recent Spring Forecast and considering what the wider economic picture means for rural communities.
In this week’s Bulletin we highlight a range of developments affecting rural areas, including new concerns that SEND reforms are failing to address the rising cost of home-to-school transport, and warnings from Plunkett UK that current Post Office plans still overlook the realities faced by rural communities.
We also look ahead to Village Halls Week, which takes place next week, celebrating the vital role these community buildings play at the heart of rural life.
As always, thank you for reading and for your continued engagement .
Kerry Booth, Chief Executive, Rural Services Network
