The Commission for Rural Communities is today publishing the ‘State of the countryside 2010‘report giving an up to date definitive picture of rural England. The report provides detailed evidence of the circumstances of people living and working in rural areas drawn from extensive analysis using the latest official statistics.
The report provides a comprehensive picture and benchmark at a time of economic and political change. Amongst other things, it highlights the significant contribution that rural England can make in three critical areas including economic recovery; building strong communities; providing the natural resources needed by the whole country.
Dr. Stuart Burgess, Chairman of the Commission for Rural Communities said: “While the recession has hit rural areas hard, with some rural areas experiencing greater increases in unemployment than urban ones, rural businesses have higher rates of survival. Rural businesses contribute substantially to the nation’s prosperity, adding £144,639 million in Gross Value Added in 2007. The report shows that rural England has some huge strengths and none more relevant at this time than the enduring sense of community which enables many communities to compensate for the lack of local services which their urban counterparts have taken for granted, for example high speed broadband. Indeed, rural communities could provide models of how others can be empowered to do the same at a time of public sector retrenchment and austerity. Finally, the countryside offers huge opportunities to contribute more to climate change mitigation in terms of providing space for renewable energy.”
http://ruralcommunities.gov.uk/2010/07/06/state-of-the-countryside/
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