Gareth Davies MP has today backed the Government's new Unleashing Rural Opportunity plans, aimed at further supporting rural communities and businesses.
Under the plan, a new £7 million fund will test out new ways to bring together satellite, wireless, and fixed line internet connectivity, helping support farmers and tourism businesses to access lightning fast, reliable connectivity in remote areas for the first time as part of the wider drive to grow the rural economy.
The plan focuses upon four priority areas:
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Growing the rural economy – support rural areas so they can prosper, including by boosting opportunity through jobs and skills.
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Connectivity – continue to deliver gigabit broadband and mobile coverage in rural areas and increase access to public transport.
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Home energy – facilitate the building of more homes for local people to buy where local communities want them, powered by secure and resilient energy supplies.
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Communities – for rural communities to continue to be places where people want to live and work. Improving access to high quality health and social care and take further action to tackle rural crime.
Crucially, this new plan comes on top of smaller, targeted support like the £110 million of grants from the Rural England Prosperity Fund, or the Platinum Jubilee Village Hall fund or the Community Ownership Fund.
