What does the evidence tell us about future models for Public Service Delivery in Rural and Island Communities?

Background

Question Group: Focused on strengthening Scotland’s rural and island communities, by improving understanding of service delivery, investment and land reform, alongside the characteristics of diverse rural and island areas. Aims to empower rural and island communities through innovative and place-based research methods, and provision of the right data and tools, to ensure that they can thrive.

Sub-questions: -How are rural and island public services currently delivered and how does this differ to other parts of Scotland?
-What factors, opportunities and risks impact public service delivery in rural and island communities in a way which is distinct to urban communities, and therefore should inform Public Service Reform?'
-Learning from Scotland's experience to date, and international experience, what role can community-led service solutions play and in which sectors? (Health and Social care, Transport, Education, others?)
-How can government and local authorities facilitate these solutions?
-Do representatives of rural and island communities have access to the data, skills and tools needed to engage effectively in service design and delivery decisions, and where are the gaps?
-What key learning from international evidence or case studies on public service delivery in island or remote rural contexts is most relevant to Scotland, and why?
-What role can digital and technological approaches play in supporting public service delivery in rural and island communities, and what evidence exists on their effectiveness in island or remote rural contexts with connectivity constraints?
-What is the current and future demand for green skills across land use sectors (farming, forestry, fishing) needed to enable delivery of 2045 environment, biodiversity and climate targets and how can the Scottish Government fill these gaps?

Next steps

Get in touch with [email protected]

Source

This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:

Environment natural resources agriculture research strategy 2027 2032

Research fields

Related UKRI funded projects


  • Rural Wales Local Policy and Innovation Partnership

    The Rural Wales Local Policy and Innovation Partnership (RWLPIP) will connect researchers, stakeholders and communities in generating, sharing and applying evidence to enhance local policy and innovation for inclusive, s...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: Aberystwyth University

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on enhancing local policy and innovation for inclusive, sustainable growth in Rural Wales, which aligns with the question's emphasis on future models for Public Service Delivery in Rural and Island Communities.

  • Rural Wales Local Policy and Innovation Partnership

    Rural Wales is a diverse region that faces many challenges in pursuing inclusive, sustainable growth. Long-term disadvantages of a dispersed population, poor accessibility, limited infrastructure and a low wage economy h...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: Aberystwyth University

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project aims to bring together stakeholders to find effective solutions for inclusive, sustainable growth in Rural Wales, addressing the question's focus on factors impacting public service delivery in rural and island communities.

  • RUSTIK: Rural Sustainability Transitions through Integration of Knowledge for improved policy processes

    The overarching objective of RUSTIK is to enable rural communities’ actors and policy makers to design better strategies, initiatives and policies fostering sustainability transitions of rural areas, through an advanced ...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on enabling rural communities and policymakers to design better strategies for sustainability transitions, which partially aligns with the question's emphasis on future models for Public Service Delivery in Rural and Island Communities.

  • Giving Rural Actors Novel data and re-Useable tools to Lead public Action in Rural areas

    Representing 30% of its population and over 80% of its territory, EU rural areas are facing simultaneous demographic, climate, economic, social and environmental changes which affect their characteristics and metabolisms...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON

  • Rural Sustainability Transitions through Integration of Knowledge for improved policy processes

    The overarching objective of RUSTIK is to enable rural communities’ actors and policy makers to design better strategies, initiatives and policies fostering sustainability transitions of rural areas, through an advanced ...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE

  • What Works Scotland Centre

    What Works Scotland will be a collaborative centre bringing together staff from the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, other academics and key non-academic partners. Its aim is to support the use of evidence to plan ...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Glasgow

  • Rural Sustainability Transitions through Integration of Knowledge for improved policy processes

    The overarching objective of RUSTIK is to enable rural communities’ actors and policy makers to design better strategies, initiatives and policies fostering sustainability transitions of rural areas, through an advanced ...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

    Lead research organisation: GLOUCESTERSHIRE RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL

  • Empowering rural communities to act for change

    RURACTIVE aims to foster a just and sustainable transition of rural areas by developing smart, community-led, tailor-made, place based and inclusive solutions within local Multi-Actor Rural Innovation Ecosystems (RIEs) i...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

    Lead research organisation: THE JAMES HUTTON INSTITUTE

  • Leapfrog: Transforming Public Service Consultation by Design

    This project will be a collaboration with community partners to co-design and evaluate new approaches to consultation. Consultation, the engagement of communities in public service decision making becoming an increasingl...

    Funded by: AHRC

    Lead research organisation: Lancaster University

  • Ruractive

    RURACTIVE aims to foster a just and sustainable transition of rural areas by developing smart, community-led, tailor-made, placebased and inclusive solutions within local Multi-Actor Rural Innovation Ecosystems (RIEs) in...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

    Lead research organisation: GROWBIZ SCOTLAND