Rural Affairs

Rural services

Rural Services Review 2006 front coverRural Services Review

The Rural Services Review has its origins in a commitment in the Rural White Paper (2000) ‘Our Countryside: the future a fair deal for rural England’ as a tool to help people in ensuring fair access to services for their community.  

The Government has set national standards for the services used by people living in England – for example, how long it takes to see a GP or the kinds of children’s services available.  The Rural Services Review identifies keys standards that affect people living and working in the countryside and shows what levels of service people can expect and how the standards can make a difference.

Following feedback from readers the 2006 edition is much more about ‘real people and real issues’ and as a consequence we have a more balanced and informative publication.  The ‘Did you know’ section has also been expanded with the inclusion of more targeted signposting around all the key case studies.  The topics are more reflective of the concerns facing rural communities today and describe some innovative ways communities have addressed these issues.  The aim is to inspire more people to take those first steps to understand and address the needs of their own communities.

If you have any comments to make please contact; Rural Services Division, 2C Ergon House, London SW1P 2AL, or email us at rural.services@defra.gsi.gov.uk.

Further copies of the Rural Services Review can be obtained from the Defra helpline on 08459 33 55 77 quoting reference PB11929.

Evaluation of the Rural Services Review (2004) 

Thumbnail picture showing the cover of the new Rural Services ReviewFollowing the publication of the new look Rural Services Review (formerly the Rural Services Standard) Defra commissioned ADAS to evaluate readers' views of the magazine compared to the previous version.  This work was carried out between March and July 2005 and sought the views of the main target groups (active rural public, service providers and lobby groups).

The evaluation was carried out via telephone interviews.  The results showed that the Review was:

  • fit for purpose
  • well received
  • attractive to readers
  • a good overall source of information about how rural service standards can and do affect people’s lives.

Criticisms against the Review broadly fell into three themes:

  • its style was too glossy and expensive
  • its tone painted too optimistic a picture of rural life
  • it would have benefited from more detail telling readers how to go about engaging with service providers to drive service improvements.

Those surveyed gave a strong preference for the paper version over any online version.  To see details of the evaluation process and the findings contained in the final report click on the link below.

November 2004 - Alun Michael Celebrates Innovative Rural Services

The Rural Services Standard was first published in the Rural White Paper Our Countryside: the future in 2000. It links with the Government’s commitment to rural proof its policies by ensuring rural needs are at the heart of policy making. It gives people in rural areas a better understanding of the access to services they can expect. But, following a review last year, it was clear that the Rural Services Review was not delivering all its objectives. The new style Rural Services Review incorporates the ideals of the rural services standards but shows how national standards are being taken forward at the level of the individual or local area.

Announcing publication of the Rural Services Review 2004, Alun Michael said:

“This year the Government has set out eleven core standards for the provision of services in rural areas. These demonstrate our commitment to putting the needs of rural people at the heart of policy making. The aim is to ensure equal and fair access to good quality public services for people living in rural areas. These services should meet the needs both of the majority of residents and of those with limited mobility and low incomes.

“In the Rural Services Review we do more than just describe the standards: we show what they actually mean for people living in the countryside and what can be done locally to meet them.

“Individuals, communities and local authorities have come up with many creative and imaginative ways to overcome barriers and deliver services to our national standards. The Rural Services Review tells some of these success stories and, hopefully, will encourage more.”

If you would like a hardcopy of the Rural Services Review or the accompanying postcards which are being used to publicise the Review; please contact Defra publications on 08459 556000 (quoting ref: PB9745).

If you have any comments to make please contact the Rural Services Policy Team, 2C Ergon House, London SW1P 3JR, or email: rural.services@defra.gsi.gov.uk.

Rural Services Standard

The second review of the rural services standard was launched by Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael on the 14th July at a meeting of the Rural Affairs Forum for England. The publication meets the commitments set out in the 2000 Rural White Paper to review and revise the rural services standard annually with advice from the Countryside Agency, the Rural Affairs Forum for England and the Cabinet Committee on Rural Renewal. [Further information]

Page last modified: 28 July, 2006
Page published: 21 August, 2002

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs