New figures show that nearly 2.8 million people are in work across the South West, an increase of almost 300,000 since 2010, as the Conservatives mark four million more people in work since Labour left office.
Last week the Government launched its ‘Unleashing Rural Opportunity’ strategy which sets out initiatives being taken forward to unlock the potential of our rural areas. The strategy focuses on four broad priorities that are key to rural communities being able to thrive.
Local communities across the country are set to benefit from a share of £165 million to improve skills training in their area and help get more people into jobs closer to home.
More than 1,700 new and improved multi-sports grassroots facilities across the UK are benefiting from £68 million from the Government, improving access to high quality facilities and encouraging people to get active by participating in sport.
The Conservative Government is providing schools in the Forest of Dean with over £2 million, as part of £2 billion this year and next for primary schools and secondary schools across England, the highest spending on schools in history.
The Government has published a new blueprint to help recover primary care services, to improve access to care, better support patients to manage their own health and modernise general practice for the future.
Figures released last week show that 164 extra police officers have been recruited in Gloucestershire since September 2019, bringing the total number of officers in the constabulary to 1,325.
It has recently been announced that communities across England will benefit from an extra £110 million in local authority funding to support rural business and community groups – this includes a £600,000 allocation for the Forest of Dean.