‘Vulnerable’ Scottish rural towns listed
The inimitible Dr Watson (Dan Bates RSN stato) and I have been on the case of the challenged scottish town. Applying our vulnerability sniffing skills derived from our rural England vulnerability index – more to follow soon – to the challenges faced by rural Scottish towns. Our client has derived all the credit for the work (which is fine) in this case the Scottish Agricultural College and you can read about what BBC Scotland thinks of the work in more detail here.
There is scope to do something similar for England at the local or national level if someone can find the modest resources to support it. In essence the index found:
“People living in settlements in accessible rural areas, such as Newburgh, can more easily find alternative employment if they lose their public sector job, for example, and are less likely to be left relying on a low income or unemployed.
“In contrast, remote settlements offer a more limited choice of employment, with many relying on public sector jobs or a declining industrial base.
“Continuing vulnerability may lead to a decline in service provision and the out-migration of the local population, putting the future sustainability of places such as Campbeltown and Dunoon at risk.”
The town names are Scottish but I think they have a powerful resonance in terms of the English experience aswell.