Rural counties like Norfolk face much higher costs than urban areas – which are seldom reflected in the Whitehall funding formulas.

The extra costs of transport and heating have long hit rural public services disproportionately hard – as have the growing needs of an ageing demographic. However, the Cost of Living Crisis, post-pandemic labour shortages and energy price inflation caused by the War in Ukraine have significantly added to those pressures and now mean we are facing the perfect storm.

That’s why, further to writing to the Prime Minister and DLUHC Secretary of State alongside 40 MP colleagues and the County APPG (see my webstory on Monday here), I took the opportunity earlier this week to use my new freedom as a backbench MP to stand up in the House and raise this vitally important issue with the Minister for Local Government Simon Hoare and insist on fairer funding for rural areas.

See the video below.

I will be following up on the Minister’s offer of a meeting to discuss his further – and look forward to providing updates.

In the meantime, to learn more about my campaign ‘Fighting for a Rural Premium and Fairer Funding for Rural Public Service’, please visit my campaign page here.