For a useful resource on Rural Issues, try the GA Publication from the 'Changing Geography' series: "Countryside Conflicts" by Richard Yarwood. This is a recommended read for those teaching this subject.
The VILLAGE KEY website has some excellent materials and starting points. It has a COMMUNITY BOARD, and also some details on key issues. These include the following:
Guide on locating rural services is available (in PDF format)
Locating phone masts: there have been fears over the microwave radiation these give off, especially when they have been installed near primary schools...
Transport: access to affordable, reliable and safe public transport; Costs of local transport; Greenways and Quiet roads (we have a similar system set up in Norfolk which aims to re-designate roads inland from the coast - some of these are already use by SUSTRANS for their cycle routes, as some of them have grass growing down the middle of the road)
Employment: encouraging small businesses and the possibilities of home-working
Access to local shops: encouraging Post Offices, the 'Pub as the Hub' - a good new trend towards making the pub the centre of the community - also plans to prevent local pubs from being transformed into housing - also a 'Cyber pub' - perhaps shifting the Post Office and local shop (or creche) into the pubs
Sustainable food production, and the development of box schemes for delivery of organic produce and Farmers' markets
Access to information: rural areas being linked up to Broadband, Internet access and Library facilities
Affordable housing: for land-based workers and children of local people - RURAL HOMES - MORE THAN FOR THE WEEKEND
Community facilities: upkeep of church and village halls
Protecting the Heritage - barn conversions
Market Towns Toolkit, New Opportunities Fund, claims for Lottery funding
Traveller accommodation
Service deprivation - high costs of basic foodstuffs e.g in Burnham Market, Norfolk there are more delicatessens than basic food shops.
I remember the Post bus which connects remote communities on the Isle of Skye. I wonder if Nigel still goes back and forth from Glasnakille to Broadford ? Postman Pat has nothing on him...
The Cornwall 24 forum is one of the places where such issues are debated. A recent discussion was about LOW PAY in the area. It brought some rather useful responses.
One recent posting was about Cornwall having low wages. Apparently over 80% of the population earn less than the national average.
One suggestion was to have some sort of charge to enter the county: "if it costs £5 to cross over to Skye, then it must be worth a couple of quid to get into Kernow"
One response to this on the forum was:
"I'm not sure that increasing tourism solves any problems...it depends on where the money goes once it's spent (due to national chains) OK, so they provide employment but even that money goes back into England as soon as it's spent."
"People (in France, Spain and Germany) have pride in their country or region and even international supermarket chains have to bow to local preference."
"When was the last time that anyone even raised an eyebrow because the best selling Cornish pastie is made in Evesham, Worcestershire"
"The Cornish should assert themselves and buy Cornish"
Worth checking out..
Head off NOW to the NEW ECONOMICS FOUNDATION site. You need to follow the links to a great resource. It's a report published in December 2003 by the NEF which goes by the full title:
"GHOST TOWN BRITAIN: The threat from economic globalisation to livelihoods, liberty and local economic freedom"
The report can be downloaded as a PDF file, which runs to almost 60 pages, including illustrations and evocative photographs. It goes into the reasons for the decline in local services that has happened over the last few decades.
Between 1995 and 2000, the UK lost 20% of some of its most vital institutions: corner shops, grocers, banks and post offices. Over 20 000 more institutions are set to disappear by 2005.
The NEF is supporting the LOCAL COMMUNITIES SUSTAINABILITY BILL. A BBC article on the subject is HERE.
Remember the protests when Barclays closed a lot of its local branches ? Apparently a lot of places no longer have a bank locally...
This also links in with the idea of FOOD DESERTS.
How can Village shops be helped to flourish ? Check out VIRSA: the Village Retail Services Association. Has some Case Studies of shops which are thriving...