Last week we held a meeting of our Rural Business forum.
This forum serves as a strategic group to promote the interests of the rural business sector in Staffordshire. It champions and lobbies for specific strategies and policies that will benefit members and ensure the rural sector has a stronger voice in our community.
Staffordshire is such a vibrant and diverse county.
From ceramics in Stoke, to beers in Burton. The urban parts of our county are home to a rich mix of business sectors but in recent years, there has been a growth in the number of businesses moving from towns and cities, into the countryside.
Rural businesses face their fair share of day-to-day challenges, in comparison to their urban counterparts. Securing fast and reliable digital connectivity can be a headache. Public transport to rural areas is often too infrequent to be considered as a practical means of getting employees to and from work.
In last week’s Rural Business forum, we discussed the topic of rural crime. Earlier this year, NFU Mutual commissioned a report which found that the cost of rural crime in Staffordshire this year, rose by almost 9%, compared to 2023. Criminals have targeted rural businesses and left business owners feeling the pain of financial loss. Rural crime affects large areas of the county but it often goes unreported. Rural crime will impact on insurance premiums, food prices and cause damage to local communities.
Staffordshire Police joined last week’s Rural Business forum and it was good to hear of plans to fight back hard against the criminals. The Force has established a Rural and Wildlife Crime Unit, with more than 50 officers trained as specialist Rural & Wildlife crime officers.
We heard of a determination to bring down rural crime and there is an increased focus on Rural Serious Acquisitive Crime. A 4P approach of ‘Prepare’, ‘Prevent’, ‘Pursue’, ‘Protect’ will underpin much of this work. Regular review will include performance review and partnership meetings to build and maintain relationships and engagement with key stakeholders.
Staffordshire Police has launched a Rural Crime Strategy, which outlines its commitment to tackling the issue of rural crime, head-on. The strategy is regarded as a comprehensive plan which outlines the approach to preventing crime, protecting vulnerable people, and bringing offenders to justice. At the core of the strategy, there is a strong partnership between the police, local authorities, and rural communities.
It was refreshing to hear that there will be a real focus on protecting the most vulnerable individuals and communities in our rural areas. There is also commitment to prioritise the pursuit of criminals involved in serious and organised acquisitive crime, using those networks for financial gain.
The rural parts of Staffordshire need this support. Rural locations are places where residents live, work hard, support one another and contribute significantly to our way of life and it’s vital that all who live and work in these areas, can feel safe and secure.
For further information on the work being done by Staffordshire Police, click on the url:
Rural crime | Staffordshire Police
If you would like to get involved with our Rural Business forum, please send an e-mail to:
