It's a hard life living in the countryside - at least that's the opinion of Parliament's cross-party Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee in a recently published report . Broad band speeds are slow, reception for mobile phones is poor. Oh dear, what a miserable existence!. Country dwellers are stuck in the dark ages.
It is over 9 years since I moved out of a town, and not for a single day have I regretted moving into the countryside. Not for one moment have I felt disadvantaged. There's a good sense of community in the Gloucestershire village where I now live. We don't have drunken yobs wandering down our lanes, nor are we at risk of being mugged if we step outside our front door, There's no light pollution, little traffic noise, wonderful country walks on my doorstep, wildlife aplenty to be enjoyed and the air is fresh. Fantastic!
There are one or two points in the report which I do agree with. it is certainly true that council tax rates for country people are exorbitant. We are subsidising town dwellers, but I cannot see this government taking the obvious step to address this - a drastic downsizing of county halls and district councils, with their functions either delegated upwards to Westminster or downwards to the parish.
It's also true that house prices are higher, but in my opinion, that is a price worth paying. There is no "problem" for the government to solve here. Rural life is wonderful, and so it should logically command a premium. The beloved solution of imbeciles like "Planning Minister" Nick Boles, to build more houses, isn't the answer, for it defeats the whole object of living in the countryside. I and many others have moved out of towns to get away from urban sprawl.
It can be quite challenging in the winter. We had loads of snow last January, and even the roads tha had been gritted were a bit challenging. We also don't have any buses after 6.30 PM. There was a railway station 3 miles away, but like most rural routes, it was closed by Dr. Beeching in the 1960s. However, I wouldn't move back to a town for love nor money.
This report displays just how out of touch Dave's party has become with a group of people who were once to be found among its staunchest supporters. Most of the Notting Hill set don't like the countryside, have probably never lived in the countryside and have little understanding of what makes rural people tick. I discovered shortly after moving that there are only three essential items needed for successful living in the country in the 21st century - a large chest freezer, a powerful torch and a stout pair of wellington boots. I didn't need a government report to work this out for me.
It is over 9 years since I moved out of a town, and not for a single day have I regretted moving into the countryside. Not for one moment have I felt disadvantaged. There's a good sense of community in the Gloucestershire village where I now live. We don't have drunken yobs wandering down our lanes, nor are we at risk of being mugged if we step outside our front door, There's no light pollution, little traffic noise, wonderful country walks on my doorstep, wildlife aplenty to be enjoyed and the air is fresh. Fantastic!
There are one or two points in the report which I do agree with. it is certainly true that council tax rates for country people are exorbitant. We are subsidising town dwellers, but I cannot see this government taking the obvious step to address this - a drastic downsizing of county halls and district councils, with their functions either delegated upwards to Westminster or downwards to the parish.
It's also true that house prices are higher, but in my opinion, that is a price worth paying. There is no "problem" for the government to solve here. Rural life is wonderful, and so it should logically command a premium. The beloved solution of imbeciles like "Planning Minister" Nick Boles, to build more houses, isn't the answer, for it defeats the whole object of living in the countryside. I and many others have moved out of towns to get away from urban sprawl.
It can be quite challenging in the winter. We had loads of snow last January, and even the roads tha had been gritted were a bit challenging. We also don't have any buses after 6.30 PM. There was a railway station 3 miles away, but like most rural routes, it was closed by Dr. Beeching in the 1960s. However, I wouldn't move back to a town for love nor money.
This report displays just how out of touch Dave's party has become with a group of people who were once to be found among its staunchest supporters. Most of the Notting Hill set don't like the countryside, have probably never lived in the countryside and have little understanding of what makes rural people tick. I discovered shortly after moving that there are only three essential items needed for successful living in the country in the 21st century - a large chest freezer, a powerful torch and a stout pair of wellington boots. I didn't need a government report to work this out for me.