Government policies are leading to ‘cycles of rural deprivation’ - Helen

North Shropshire MP, Helen Morgan, has warned that Government funding policies are leaving rural communities disadvantaged and denying people education and employment opportunities.

Leading a debate in Parliament on Wednesday (2nd September) on funding for rural local authorities, Helen argued that years of financial neglect had brought about “cycles of rural deprivation”.

Helen said rural areas were being forced to pay more to receive less, pointing to research from the Rural Services Network showing that next year urban councils will receive 32% more funding per head than rural councils.

Speaking in Westminster as MPs returned after the summer, Helen highlighted how the funding gap between rural and urban areas was also affecting children’s education, economic opportunity and access to essential services.

Helen pointed to evidence showing that schools in North Shropshire receive an average of £6,460 per pupil, compared with a national average of around £7,910. Meanwhile, research by the Education Policy Institute has also revealed that disadvantaged pupils in the north of the county were nearly two years behind their non-disadvantaged peers when it came to their attainment, four months worse than the national average.

Helen also raised concerns about the impact on Shropshire Council, where around one in four residents are over the age of 65 and 80% of the authority's budget is spent on social care.

She told MPs that Shropshire Council was facing severe challenges after the previous administration left the authority in one of the most difficult financial positions in England. Despite progress identified in recent independent reviews, she warned that rising costs in adult social care and special educational needs services continued to place enormous pressure on council finances.

Helen Morgan, MP for North Shropshire, said: “For far too long, rural communities have been treated as an afterthought by successive governments.

“People in places like North Shropshire face higher costs to access services, and yet here we receive less funding than many urban areas. That simply isn't fair.

“The consequences are clear. Local authorities like Shropshire Council are struggling to maintain services, public transport is disappearing, mobile and broadband coverage remains woeful, and too many young people are being denied the opportunities they deserve.

“Schools in North Shropshire receive significantly less funding than the national average, and disadvantaged pupils are falling further behind.

“Rural deprivation is real, yet too often Government funding formulas fail to recognise the challenges faced by communities spread across large rural areas.

“Ministers must stop short-changing rural Britain and deliver a fair funding settlement that reflects the genuine needs and costs faced by councils such as Shropshire.”

During the debate, Helen also highlighted the wider impact of rural disadvantage on housing, transport, digital connectivity and local government funding reform. She warned that Government plans for devolution risk widening the gap between mayoral and non-mayoral areas unless rural authorities receive fair resources alongside new powers.

Helen argued that inadequate transport funding is worsening isolation in rural communities and limiting access to education, employment and public services. She noted that Shropshire has lost more bus miles than any other area in England, while local bus funding has been reduced, leaving many residents with little choice but to rely on expensive car travel. She warned that those unable to access a car, particularly younger and older residents, risk being cut off from opportunities altogether.

Helen added: “North Shropshire deserves a fair deal. If the Government is serious about tackling inequality and improving life chances, it cannot continue to overlook rural communities.”