England’s rural areas: steps to release their economic potential

Following the floods and animal diseases in 2007, the Prime Minister asked the Rural Advocate, Stuart Burgess, to advise on how rural economies could be strengthened. His advice supports the shift in focus from economic sectors to sustainable places; regions and localities need to be empowered to build on their particular strengths.

This report demonstrates the huge contribution rural areas make to the national economy and points to ways in which further potential can be released. Targeting areas of underperformance in rural economies could perhaps double the £325 billion currently earned each year by rural firms, reduce worklessness and poverty and help close the persistent gap between rural and urban wages.

The report makes a number of proposals including the creation of a Rural Finance Forum to examine and overcome the causes of lower capital investment, poorer access to finance, and lower funding for rural economic initiatives.

Dated 02/07/2008

Read More

Owning Organisation

Commission for Rural Communities - http://www.ruralcommunities.gov.uk/

Data Type

Data Series

Spatial Coverage

National and Local authorities

Theme

Economy, Society