Rural homes ‘20% more expensive’

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cropped-7a8w9818.jpgBuying a house in the countryside costs 20% more than it does in a town or city, according to the latest figures.

Although a ‘rural premium’ exists across the country, rural homes are comparitively much more expensive in some areas than others, suggests the Halifax housing index.

The greatest difference is in the West Midlands where the average rural house price (£280,776) is 47% (£89,272) higher than in the region’s urban areas (£191,504).

The smallest difference is in the East of England, where there average premium on countryside homes drops to £27,765 (or 9%).

Property in rural areas is less affordable than in urban areas, with the property price in rural areas 7.6 times average annual earnings.

This compares to a ratio of 6.5 in urban areas.

All 10 of the least affordable rural local authority districts are in southern England, where North Dorset is the least affordable rural district with an average house price of £361,603.

This is 11.4 times local annual average earnings (£31,723).

The second least affordable area is Chichester with and average house price of £411,547 (10.8 times), followed by West Oxfordshire (9.9 times).

To read more on this article from the Rural Services Network please click here.

Taking The First Steps: An Introduction to Forming a Community Co-operative

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7th November 2017, 9.15am – 4pm, Worton Hall, Oxfordshire

Plunkett Foundation are organising a free event for anyone living in a rural community in the UK who wants to find out more about community co-operatives, why they work and the next steps to take. Whether you’re looking to save or open a shop, pub, woodland, renewable energy scheme, transport service, or anything else that your rural community needs, this event is a great way to find out more.

Download the agenda and book your FREE place at plunkettfoundation.eventbrite.co.uk

Warning that GP practices in rural areas are struggling to recruit doctors

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The Rural Services Network is encouraging people to sign a petition, warning that GP practices in rural areas are struggling to recruit doctors

Launched on 19 September, the petition calls on the government to put general practitioners on the Home Office’s ”shortage occupation list”.  At 10,000 signatures, the government will respond to the petition. At 100,000 signatures, the petition will be considered for debate in Parliament.
Started by Lincolnshire GP Ben Loryman, the petition says many rural surgeries facing recruitment difficulties, are being forced to close.  “There are many GPs from outside the EU who would like to work in the UK,” says the petition.  “However, practices can’t offer them a job without going though the visa bureaucracy, and the NHS is losing many good doctors as a result.”
The government has repeatedly warned that a shortage of rural GPs has left rural patients waiting weeks to see their local doctor.  The Rural Services Network is backing calls for government action to help recruit more GPs and other health professionals to work in the countryside.
Rural Services Network Chief Executive, Graham Biggs MBE said: “The situation is so bad that some rural patients are having to wait the best part of a month to see a doctor.”
Earlier this year, it emerged that a shortage of doctors meant patients in part of rural Lincolnshire must wait four weeks to see a GP.   Other rural communities are also suffering from a shortage of doctors.  In April, Dr David Davies, who works in rural West Somerset, said it was a struggle to recruit new staff with many current GPs approaching retirement.  Dr Davies said his surgery had spent more than a year trying to recruit a new GP but it had proved difficult to find someone who wanted to live and work in the area.
If you would like to sign the petition the link is here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/200523

The petition will run until 19 March 2018

PUBLISHED: Berkshire Community Foundation’s Vital Sign’s Report

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website-banner-for-brighter-berkshire-pagesThe Berkshire Community Foundation’s (BCF) vital signs report is now out. As well as highlighting the vital work of the voluntary sector, with case studies on Sport in Mind and the Wokingham Mental Health Association, the 2017 Vital Signs Report highlights the worsening trends in mental health and increasing levels of homelessness in Berkshire. Please click here to read the report in full: report.

 

The Magic Little Grants Fund

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Localgiving has teamed up with Postcode Community Trust to provide a free annual Localgiving membership and a grant of either £250 or £500 to small charities and community groups.

The Magic Little Grants Fund provides local charities and community groups the opportunity to access funding to deliver engaging physical activities, which help to overcome barriers to participation.

To benefit from funding, projects need to meet either of the following themes:

  • Overcoming barriers to participation in physical activities in creative ways
  • Increasing social cohesion through developing access to sports and other recreational activities

http://grants.localgiving.org/pct/