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| Concern over rural areas' future | Concern over rural areas' future |
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| Fears have been raised in a report about the long-term future of rural communities in Wales. | |
| The research raised concern about the incentives for younger people to stay in or move to rural communities. | |
| The Wales Rural Observatory highlights four areas of concern: broadband provision, public transport, house prices and access to services. | The Wales Rural Observatory highlights four areas of concern: broadband provision, public transport, house prices and access to services. |
| The Welsh Assembly Government has said it had started work on addressing the issues raised by the report. | |
| Rural affairs minister Elin Jones is to outline the assembly government's actions during a debate of the report with AMs later. | |
| The Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW) said rural areas were not being treated fairly. | The Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW) said rural areas were not being treated fairly. |
| CASE STUDY Publican Menna Rowlands, from Llanfihangel yng Ngwynfa, near Llanfyllin, Powys "Our school closed in December, although there hadn't been any children there since the summer. There was a campaign to keep it open, but it closed. "There was a double blow because nearby Llanwyddyn school closed as well, so it was sad to lose both Welsh schools. The closure of the school has had effect on the village hall where school functions were held. It's quiet and peaceful and I've always lived here apart from a time when I was a nurse in Wrexham. "I can't imagine living anywhere else. I love it and I know people who live here love it too. The towns of Llanfyllin and Oswestry are nearby, but there are no buses anymore. It can be difficult for elderly people to get about because you need a car in this area, but we are a close-knit community and people usually give one another a lift. "People in the village have had broadband for a few years, but mobile telephone reception is poor - unless you're standing by the church." | CASE STUDY Publican Menna Rowlands, from Llanfihangel yng Ngwynfa, near Llanfyllin, Powys "Our school closed in December, although there hadn't been any children there since the summer. There was a campaign to keep it open, but it closed. "There was a double blow because nearby Llanwyddyn school closed as well, so it was sad to lose both Welsh schools. The closure of the school has had effect on the village hall where school functions were held. It's quiet and peaceful and I've always lived here apart from a time when I was a nurse in Wrexham. "I can't imagine living anywhere else. I love it and I know people who live here love it too. The towns of Llanfyllin and Oswestry are nearby, but there are no buses anymore. It can be difficult for elderly people to get about because you need a car in this area, but we are a close-knit community and people usually give one another a lift. "People in the village have had broadband for a few years, but mobile telephone reception is poor - unless you're standing by the church." |
| The report follows research into so-called "deep" rural areas, where communities were located at least 30 minutes' drive-time from a centre with a population of more than 10,000. | The report follows research into so-called "deep" rural areas, where communities were located at least 30 minutes' drive-time from a centre with a population of more than 10,000. |
| More than 90% of those surveyed in the report said they were satisfied with their local area as a place to live, and 94% rated their quality of life as either "very good" or "fairly quiet". | More than 90% of those surveyed in the report said they were satisfied with their local area as a place to live, and 94% rated their quality of life as either "very good" or "fairly quiet". |
| But the study found key issues affecting deep rural areas included: the trend towards the withdrawal of retail outlets and the centralisation of services in general; limited public transport provision; the lack of affordable housing and the lack of broadband provision. | |
| A CPRW spokesman said: "We would emphasise that deep rural communities should have exactly the same access and level of services as other places in Wales. | A CPRW spokesman said: "We would emphasise that deep rural communities should have exactly the same access and level of services as other places in Wales. |
| "We have called on the Wales assembly to give these areas the same protected equality status as minority groups." | "We have called on the Wales assembly to give these areas the same protected equality status as minority groups." |
| The Welsh Assembly Government has said it has already started work on addressing the issues raised by the report, which was published in December last year. | The Welsh Assembly Government has said it has already started work on addressing the issues raised by the report, which was published in December last year. |
| We expect financial support for the provision of services in deep rural areas Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales spokesman Download the Wales Rural Observatory Report (5Mb) Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader Download the reader here | We expect financial support for the provision of services in deep rural areas Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales spokesman Download the Wales Rural Observatory Report (5Mb) Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader Download the reader here |
| Elin Jones, minister for rural affairs, will outline further plans to tackle the concerns during a plenary debate in the Senedd. | Elin Jones, minister for rural affairs, will outline further plans to tackle the concerns during a plenary debate in the Senedd. |
| She has already said the report has been discussed by the cabinet, with priorities identified, including rural transport and broadband provision. | She has already said the report has been discussed by the cabinet, with priorities identified, including rural transport and broadband provision. |
| Last month the assembly government announced plans to use European funding to improve high-speed broadband coverage in rural and isolated parts of Wales. | Last month the assembly government announced plans to use European funding to improve high-speed broadband coverage in rural and isolated parts of Wales. |
| The Deep Rural Localities report was commissioned by the assembly government and produced by the Wales Rural Observatory, a group of experts based at Aberystwyth and Cardiff universities. | The Deep Rural Localities report was commissioned by the assembly government and produced by the Wales Rural Observatory, a group of experts based at Aberystwyth and Cardiff universities. |
| They looked at the experiences of four communities located around Llanfihangel yng Ngwynfa in north Powys, Llangammarch Wells in south Powys, around Tegryn in north Pembrokeshire and Aberdaron on the Lleyn peninsula. | They looked at the experiences of four communities located around Llanfihangel yng Ngwynfa in north Powys, Llangammarch Wells in south Powys, around Tegryn in north Pembrokeshire and Aberdaron on the Lleyn peninsula. |
| The spokesman for the CPRW added: "The assembly government needs to recognise the depth of the problem." | The spokesman for the CPRW added: "The assembly government needs to recognise the depth of the problem." |
| "We expect financial support for the provision of services in deep rural areas - such as education, public transport and health." | "We expect financial support for the provision of services in deep rural areas - such as education, public transport and health." |
| He added: "It's about ensuring everyone in Wales, no matter where they live, has equal access to public services." | He added: "It's about ensuring everyone in Wales, no matter where they live, has equal access to public services." |