Rural communities sceptical over Cameron's Big Society

The Rural Insight 2011 survey canvassed the views of more than 1,300 rural residents and stakeholders across England.

Although rural communities value volunteering, the survey found that many communities lack the enthusiasm needed to deliver more services successfully.

The survey is a joint initiative by economic development experts Rose Regeneration and Ruralcity Media, with support from the Rural Services Network.

While it highlights many attractive attributes about life in the countryside, it also explodes the myth of a ‘rural idyll’.

Benefits of rural living include attractive surroundings, a strong sense of community, good life choices, lack of crime and a lack of pollution.

But challenges include high fuel costs, a lack of affordable rural housing, poor access to meaningful local employment and slow broadband speeds.

Report author and Rose Regeneration managing director Ivan Annibal said: “Many rural residents still expect the state to provide key local services. They prefer the idea of better transport to get people to services, rather than services provided electronically via the internet or by local community groups.

“This represents another wake up call for those who assume the Big Society will somehow spontaneously spring to life and come to their rescue.”

But the fact some communities valued the informal provision of rural services by volunteers suggested all was not lost, said Mr Annibal.

And he added it was still not too late for the Big Society to make rural communities more sustainable by encouraging people to do more for themselves.

Mr Annibal said: “The Government must think harder about what makes rural places tick. It must also develop local know-how to make the Big Society happen.”

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