rural growth

No chance of a gradual start to the new parliamentary session. Defra has been cleared out and the PM is planning to drive growth forward aggressively. I am speaking about this very issue at the LGA Rural Conference in Widermere next week on 12 October. My theme will be that our Victorian inheritance of an over sentimental view of rural England has led to a “culture of couvetousness” where the planning system, land prices/availability and lack of access to services have seriosuly diminished any short term propsect of rural growth. Interestingly this article makes no mention of any commitment to address these issues as a upfront element of the drive for growth.

David Cameron has set up a new Cabinet committee with the job of making sure that Government initiatives to boost growth have a real impact on the ground.

The Growth Implementation Committee, chaired by Chancellor George Osborne, will meet monthly to drive forward measures to cut red tape, streamline planning rules and get big infrastructure projects moving, Downing Street said.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman dismissed suggestions that the creation of the committee, which will meet monthly, reflected a sense of panic within Government that its efforts to promote growth had failed to lift the UK out of double-dip recession.