Devolution must not harm rural

communities, new report warns

With the government keen to transfer more decision-making powers out of Westminster, a new report has warned that rural communities must be involved in the wider devolution process.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Rural Business and the Rural Powerhouse has issued a new report, in which it calls for rural communities to have a seat at the table when decisions on devolution are made.

Corinne Pluchino, Chief Executive of ACRE, was one of the contributors to the report, and told the APPG panel that the main challenges facing rural communities today were not exclusive to just one or two areas but impacting people in every part of the country.

Addressing the point made by Corinne, the report noted that “this consistency underscores the need for systemic, rather than piecemeal, policy responses.”

Elsewhere, the report highlights the growing funding gap between rural councils and those representing more urban areas.

Evidence suggests that urban councils are set to receive around 32 per cent more government-funded spending power than their rural counterparts.

The disparity matters because, as the report sets out, “services cost more to deliver across long distances and dispersed populations, while lower density and lower wages mean a smaller tax base than in towns and cities.”

As well as fairer funding formulas, the report also calls for a number of other recommendations, including mandatory rural proofing, guaranteed rural representation, a comprehensive rural housing strategy and dedicated support for rural areas during periods of reorganisation.

The APPG’s inquiry and subsequent sought evidence from a range of stakeholders, such as councils, businesses and rural organisations.

Its findings can be read in full on the website of the Country Land and Business Association, which supported the inquiry.