rural areas

Towns and villages outside the big cities are facing unique challenges but are increasingly frustrated that the levers of power continue to be held in Westminster and Whitehall, councils say.

Six rural hospital trusts carry a quarter of English health service’s funding deficit, according to an evidence review conducted by the Nuffield Trust for the National Centre for Rural Health and Care.

The President of the International Fund for Agricultral Development will ask global leaders attending the Paris Peace Forum to consider the crucial role that increased investment in rural areas of developing countries can play in addressing the root causes of conflicts.

Unaffordable homes, poor connectivity, skills gaps and health inequalities threaten the future success and prosperity of rural areas, say council leaders.