Affordable Housing Community Agriculture Migrant Workers Rural Church
A chronic shortage of affordable rural housing is fuelling the closure of hundreds of country pubs and village shops. The National Housing Federation (NHF) claims that 650 rural pubs and 400 village shops will be lost over the next 12 months as traditional British village life is plunged into terminal decline by the lack of affordable housing. www.morningadvertiser.co.uk [accessed 29/6/09]
Some good news is that councils can now access the same capital subsidy through the social housing grant that is provided to housing associations for new affordable homes. Decisions on the first council schemes to be funded in this way will be confirmed in September. (Hansard Col.8WS 30/6/09)
The Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) is looking again at the impact of the recession on housing in rural areas. In their last report they found serious stress occurring within rural areas.
Digital Britain final
report contains more detailed
information on the Government's commitment to providing universal broadband
access to virtually all
Rural Money Matters: A support guide to rural financial inclusion was launched by the Commission for Rural Communities at the Norfolk Show on 1st July.
Credit unions are mutually owned financial co-operatives and their objectives include promoting thrift among members and the provision of low cost small loans for the benefit of members. They are run by the members, for the members. The use of volunteers helps to keep costs low and any profit made is shared out with the members, or goes to develop the credit union.
The government pledges to support rural communities through the recession. Rural affairs minister Dan Norris said rural businesses were innovative, committed and contributed hugely to the national economy. He was speaking at a summit on 30th June which was organised to discuss how best to maximise the potential of the rural economy. It is the second in a series of events following a report to the Prime Minister last year from Stuart Burgess, the Rural Advocate. www.rsnonline.org.uk [accessed 6/7/09]
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DEFRA consultation, which closes on 25 September 2009, seeks views on using
the Government’s coastal change fund to enable coastal local authorities to help
homeowners who lose a property to coastal erosion with demolition and moving
costs. [
Try the Norfolk Insight page which is now a more straightforward way of finding facts such as population, deprivation etc for your community
Rural Proofing A new toolkit provides practical understanding of rural proofing and its importance within mainstream policy making approaches.
Action Rural Sussex have started a petition on the No 10 website asking for a dedicated capital fund for rural community buildings. There is a link directly to it from their website.
Creating Spaces - Community development approaches to building stronger communities.
Resource Directory A selection of resources produced with funding from Connecting Communities Plus, Community Grants and the Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund
Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill is now in the Commons for consideration. The Bill seeks to create greater opportunities for community and individual involvement in local decision-making.
Junior DEFRA minister Jim Fitzpatrick has vowed to
rectify the Rural Payments Agency's
latest mapping fiasco quickly to avoid any single payment disruptions in
2010. Speaking at an NFU press meeting at the Royal Show on
Tuesday (7 July), Mr Fitzpatrick said he was aware of the "real anxiety" that
problems with the RPA's latest attempts to map
Dairy Farmers of Britain Ltd (DFB) update: “On 18 June 2009, Hilary Benn reported that new buyers had been found for 96 per cent. of the milk, leaving fewer than 200 of the 1,800 farmers affected by the demise of DFB still to find an alternative milk buyer. A further 47 farmers secured new buyers before the end of last week.” (Hansard Column 11WS 30/6/09)
Great
Britain’s milk production is expected to fall
4.9% by 2010/11 to 10.5bn litres.
This is despite the survey showing that
almost half of British farmers actually have space available for extra cows and
that, if all the additional cow spaces were full, annual milk production could
increase by 5.4% to 11.6bn litres. www.fwi.co.uk
[accessed 20/6/09]
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Food
inflation was 10% in December 2008. This was a decline from its highest
annual rate in 30 years of 13% in August. (RuSource Briefing 837)
The Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility (ECCR) has just published its report “Vulnerable Migrant Workers: the responsibility of business”. It looks into nine major food retailers and the situation of migrant workers involved in the whole food chain that these businesses represent.
The Bible is the "ultimate immigration handbook" said the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, the Rev Dr Samuel Kobia, and Christians should stand with the oppressed.
The latest Presence Paper (A
Two million of start-up funding for new community-owned shops is available over the next two years under the Village CORE Programme. Church buildings can provide suitable sites for shops as well as being eligible to apply themselves. Applications can be submitted up to 30 July 2009.
Inspired! is English
Heritage’s campaign to secure a sustainable future for
Struggling rural
churches in
The Post Office Network Change Programme was due to end by Easter 2009. One indication is that, although many churches were approached by the Post Office, take up was generally low. The guidelines for opening a Post Office in a church, are still available.
© 2009 Rev Dr. Lorna Allies | District & Diocesan Rural Adviser