Concern at lack of vital rural services

People in rural areas of Staffordshire lack access to essential services such as post offices and banks, says a report.

Rising home prices and a three per cent rise in people living below the poverty line are in a national report into rural life.

The Commission for Rural Communities produced the State of the Countryside 2008 document highlighting challenges facing country communities and calling on the Government to do more to tackle inequality. Commission chairman Dr Stuart Burgess said: "The decline in crucial services is a major concern.

"Findings are that 17 per cent of people in Staffordshire have to travel more than 2km to their nearest post office and 46 per cent have to travel more than 4km on the road in order to get to a bank or building society.

"Meeting affordable housing needs in rural areas also remains a dominant challenge, with demand being heightened by the number of people seeking to relocate to the countryside.

"The average house price in the area was £224,626, compared with £212,823 in built-up areas, and prices have soared to seven times the annual household income. And one of the most striking findings involves the rise in the number of people living in poverty in the county.

"Research shows that this is increasing faster in rural households, up three per cent, than urban ones and now accounts for one in five families."

But he said: "It's not all doom and gloom. Rural areas generally enjoy healthier lifestyles and a better quality of life, not to mention lower incidences of crime. Other strengths include a higher rate of business start-ups and an overall growth in the number of businesses compared to a net decline in the urban business base."

He added: "Rising food and fuel prices will challenge policy makers to make sure that the necessary changes provide benefits to all communities, including those in rural areas."