Chris Heaton-Harris MP presented the Rural Fair Share Petition to the House of Commons today.
The Rural Fair Share campaign supports impartial, objective, needs based policy which is equitable to all. It will also help Members of Parliament who represent the countryside to do a better job of making our case about the needs of rural areas.
According to a report by the Rural Services Network, rural residents earn less, on average, than those in cities, pay council tax which is £100 higher per head, and see urban areas receive government grants fifty per cent higher per head than those in the countryside. This means people in the country earn less, pay higher council tax and then receive substantially less support for services. Delivering services in sparsely populated rural areas also tends to be more expensive, which can add to the burden.
The Rural Fair Share campaign’s petition totalled over 19,000 signatories from 119 constituencies. This fantastic response illustrates that people all across the country are united in demanding a fairer deal for our rural communities.