Written - Deep Rural Areas

The purpose of this statement is to update Members on progress towards the delivery of the ‘One Wales’ commitment to identify and address the particular needs of deep rural areas.  This statement is a brief update and I will propose a plenary debate on this matter in the New Year.

On 11 November 2008, I informed the Assembly that I had commissioned the Wales Rural Observatory to undertake research into peoples’ experience of living in deep rural communities.  The Rural Observatory looked at the experiences of four communities located around around Llanfihangel yng Ngwynfa in North Powys, Llangammarch Wells in South Powys, around Tegryn in North Pembrokeshire and Aberdaron on the Lleyn peninsula.  It also surveyed a range of service providers in these areas.   

This research is one of most detailed studies the Assembly Government has supported in rural areas and I am pleased to announce that the full Deep Rural Localities report will be published on the Wales Rural Observatory website today.

The report’s findings provide a comprehensive and welcome addition to our understanding of issues in deep rural areas. 

Residents reported high levels of satisfaction with their quality of life and ninety per cent were satisfied with their area as a place to live. In particular they valued the peace and quiet, slower pace of life, community belonging and landscape.

The report also identified a number of issues impacting on the future sustainability of their localities. Whilst people understood the difficulties of providing services to their communities, there were clear concerns about service provision. In particular, residents reported a continuing trend towards the withdrawal of retail outlets and the centralisation of services in general.  Concerns were also expressed about the limited provision of public transport and the necessity for multiple car ownership. 

Little affordable housing, more expensive vehicle fuel and the higher prices in local shops were seen as contributing to the higher cost of living in deep rural areas.  Residents also felt that they received less value for money and lower levels of service provision for their Council tax than urban and more densely populated areas.

It was also clear from the report that the demand for broadband among deep rural residents was not being met and that many continued to experience variable mobile phone reception. 

A number of issues identified in the report are beyond the remit of the Rural Affairs portfolio. I therefore introduced the report for Cabinet discussion in November.  We identified priority issues including rural transport, broadband provision and wider rural proofing, and agreed to co-operate across portfolios.  My Department will build on the links we have already made through rural proofing to work with other WAG departments and external stakeholders such as the WLGA, WCVA and local authorities.

Overall, the report’s findings provide this Government with a sound understanding of issues affecting deep rural areas and we will now develop for a co-ordinated approach to address them.  I will report further on our approach and progress later on in 2010.