With more people living in rural England than in greater London, and the importance of coastal towns to Labour’s majority, we have created a few pithy statements below framing the Missions for coast and country communities. We are working with the Shadow front bench and others to test and improve them (hence options in some) for their use in campaigns and, in due course, the short campaign.

We also know that the Take Back Control Bill will be important. Much of our engagement highlights the importance of coastal, country and remote communities having a voice in public service and other decisions that affect their ability to thrive.  Clearly housing and planning are fundamental to the economic ability of each and every community.  

One route to such a voice could be the mayoral model applied to non-city geographies.  That could mean, for the south east, we would have a mayor for the Weald, and a mayor for the South Coast, to speak and act for those between the North Downs and the south coast up to the Solent. We also argue for a strengthened town/ parish tier, building on the Brown Commission and the Green Prosperity proposals for local economic plans.  

Getting Britain building again 

• Labour strengthening every Town and Parish Council to produce improved neighbourhood plans that enhance the contribution of every community to our collective economic mission. 
• Labour will allow (expect) Town and Parish Councils to pioneer new models of local development, as part of their role in securing more genuinely affordable homes in every town and village.
• Affordable homes to rent for every village, parish or town.

GB-Energy and clean super power

• Labour ensuring every community has reliable digital connectivity [given how it underpins much of the future potential of a clean energy system]
• Community Renewable Energy for every village, parish or town. 
• Labour investing in a dedicated delivery programme providing specific support to remote households as they seek to decarbonise and move away from oil and LPG. 

Breaking down barriers 

• Ensuring there is a Further Education college within reach of every community (in England)…
• Ensure there is a breakfast club within easy reach of every town and village; as well as support every town, parish or district council to provide a breakfast club/hub for their local community/ies.

NHS back on its feet – Health & Social Care

• Every community to have ready access to a dentist / GP surgery / district hospital – within an hour’s travel of your village
• Our national care service will have a distinct Rural Care division to ensure the logistics of rural life are fully taken into account
• Every village, coastal or country, will be within an hour’s reach of the ambulance service, be that by land, sea or air [immediate care within the golden hour]

Take back our streets, Policing

• [To become] … take back our streets, and lanes …
• An additional /dedicated PC/PCSO for every Town or Parish council in England [there are about 10,000 such councils in England, with ~ 2,000 community councils in both Sc & W]
• We will consider how best to augment policing for tourism communities, by the same order of visitors to help manage the impacts of tourists [i.e. those more there for the craic than the view…]

Do let us know what you think, we will update this blog as improvements and refinements come in!