Apr 23 2024 14 mins 72
The Labour Party has launched a Rural Crime Strategy, saying crime is rising faster in rural than urban areas. Research commissioned by the party, and based on information from the House of Commons Library, shows rural crime has risen by a third since 2011, compared to a rise of 24% in urban areas. Labour says the new Strategy would include increasing rural police presence by 13 thousand community and neighbourhood staff. We hear from the Shadow Policing Minister.
In February, we reported that Scotland’s forestry grant scheme was facing a 41% cut, lopping £32 million off the funding to help pay for new woodlands. Two months on, what is it meaning for rural communities?
And, deer can strip bark from trees, making them more vulnerable to disease. They can also eat young trees, killing them before they’ve had a chance to grow. DEFRA released its consultation on a Deer Management Strategy back in 2022 - but it still hasn't been published. We look at what it could contain.
Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons
