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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
Will the Shared Prosperity Fund help rural communities?
The Government is creating a UK Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) to replace structural funding that the European Union previously allocated to the nations and regions of the UK. The SPF was announced in 2017, launched in April 2022 and is expected to allocate funding between October 2022 and March 2025. What might the SPF mean […]
How can we get the measure of rural fuel poverty?
Some households need to spend a high proportion of their income to keep their home at a reasonable temperature. While there are national and local policies and initiatives which seek to support these households to alleviate their fuel poverty, some commentators have suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic and the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine is worsening […]