Blog | Jessica's Rural Words

October 18 2022

What does the unification of probation services mean for rural areas?

More than 200,000 are people under the supervision of probation services at any one time. Back in 2019 the Secretary of State for Justice announced a new model for probation services in England and Wales. Since June 2021, all sentence management for low, medium and high-risk offenders has been carried out by a national Probation […]

September 24 2022

How will the UK National Infrastructure Bank benefit rural areas?

Back in 2018, the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) recommended setting up a UK national infrastructure bank to replace the functions of the European Investment Bank (EIB) after Brexit. The bank launched in June 2021 and since then has been operating on an interim basis. With Government wanting to put it on a statutory footing, how […]

August 7 2022

Census 2021 – what will the results tell us about rural England?

Since 1801 a regular Census has been carried out in England and Wales. With the first results from Census 2021 in England and Wales released in June 2022, how will this information be used, and how can we ensure every[rural]body counts? Jessica Sellick investigates. ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. What is the Census? According to the United Nations Population […]

July 8 2022

Levelling up local democracy – more (or less) parishes?

Parish Councils are the first tier of government and an entry point for democracy. And yet, while they have long been in existence, much of England remains unparished. Parish Councils not only give a democratic voice to their residents but are also the focus of community efforts, deliver services and work in partnership with others. […]

June 9 2022

The Seven Principles of Public Life: taking the high road or paying lip-service?

Back in 1994, Lord Nolan was tasked by the then Prime Minister, John Major, to lead a Committee to develop a shared set of values for all those in public life. The Committee’s work culminated in the publication of the Seven Principles of Public Life. Since then, social media, COVID-19 and intense public scrutiny and […]