It has been clear over the past few weeks that we are preparing for a General Election.
As our National Rural Conference 2023 alluded to in September, change is coming, and it seems many of the announcements, from all parties, are already courting the rural vote.
Our conference, attended by Lord Benyon, Minister for Biosecurity, Marine and Rural Affairs, highlighted some of the biggest issues and challenges facing our rural communities.
From rural transport to the rural economy, all aspects were put under the microscope by a series of experts.
Our conclusion? To truly level up rural areas, we need proper, continued investment through fair funding. Rural areas do not want handouts as short-term solutions.
Once government understands the specific needs of rural areas, addresses the bespoke challenges, and assigns the correct funding to address them, then rural areas will flourish.
Research carried out by the Rural Services Network, using the Government’s own metrics in its Levelling Up White Paper, showed that if rural England was thought of as a distinct region, it would be in the greatest need of support.
The focus is on narrowing the gap between regions, but what about gaps within regions?
Rural areas have so much to offer. There are more than 500,000 rural businesses in England – 23 per cent of all registered businesses. Yet productivity and gross value added in rural areas is lower than in urban ones.
Far too much focus is placed on agriculture and the hospitality industry, which means other industries are squeezed out of the debate and their potential is being lost.
“The focus is on narrowing the gap between regions, but what about the gaps within regions?”
Unlocking the digital potential of rural areas could add up to £26 billion annually to the UK economy and grow turnover for rural businesses by £15 billion. Yet only 36 per cent of rural voters have gigabit capability and 4 per cent do not get mobile coverage indoors.
Building 10 new affordable rural homes would create an economic boost of £1.4 million and cost just £1.1 million to build. However, most rural developments are too small to include affordable homes.
What is clear is that the solutions for rural life are intrinsically linked. Without good jobs and a thriving economy, rural areas will flounder.
But the people holding these jobs need somewhere to live, without paying extra to do so simply because the central funding formula works against them. They need access to healthcare, schools and reliable transport to get them there.
More than that, rural areas have a greater sense of community.
We heard a story at conference from a rural village in Devon where an older gentleman had fallen off his bike. In the six hours it took the ambulance to arrive, the village used its Facebook page and WhatsApp group to find a qualified medic and erect a shelter over the injured man to keep him dry and warm.
These are the same communities creating hundreds of neighbourhood plans so they can have an influence on how their local areas are developed; and working together to create community energy groups to give their places access to green and sustainable energy.
Almost 10 million people live in rural England. That is more than the whole of Greater London. The rural vote could swing the next General Election and, as politicians, we ignore it at our peril.
- The Rural Services Network is an LGA special interest group.