The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) have launched their Rural Manifesto in the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells. The document outlines WLGA’s particular vision for rural Wales, focusing on realising the potential of rural communities and building community resilience.
The manifesto was developed by the Association’s Rural Forum and notes practical steps that could be taken as well as specific policy demands to try to influence the public debate in the lead up to the Senedd elections in May 2026. The manifesto follows years of collaboration between WLGA and rural councils, community groups and national partners and among other things emphasises the organisation’s commitment to a just net zero transition, the continuation and flourishing of the Welsh language and strong local economies.
As well as a number of detailed policy demands, the manifesto has six ‘Overall Asks’ for policy makers, that outline the principles at the heart of the document:
- Provide sustainable and fair funding to deliver public services and rural development across all parts of Wales, and to recognise the additional costs of providing services in rural areas and the additional demands on those services due to a larger elderly population.
- Jointly develop a robust and comprehensive Rural Development Plan for Wales, outlining the integrated actions required across all policy and service areas that would unlock the potential of rural communities across Wales for economic growth, social resilience, environmental sustainability and cultural vitality.
- Recognise the potential for social and economic regeneration in rural areas and ensure a just transition to net zero in rural communities by committing to resourcing Community Led Local Development in Rural Wales, to be delivered through rural councils, to support grassroots initiatives and local infrastructure that are important to sustainable and vibrant rural communities.
- Provide a dedicated focus on rural matters within the Senedd to ensure these issues are fully considered across all aspects of Welsh Government portfolios.
- Develop and apply a more robust rural proofing tool and a rural impact assessment measure to the policy gateway tool for assessing all new national policy, funding and legislative proposals to ensure that they do not impact negatively on rural areas.
- Work with councils and key partners to explore, develop and implement the proposals for rural Wales set out in this Manifesto.
There are also further practical policy recommendations including recommendations in the schools and education sector which are particularly interesting. These include:
- A targeted Rural Youth Programme to improve skills, attract and retain bright and talented people in rural communities.
- A Rural Apprenticeship Scheme that will offer opportunities to young people to work in public sector organisations and key sectors.
- Work with the Regional Skills Partnerships and Nature Service Wales to explore opportunities for developing green skills and the potential for combining them with a housing offer as a way of encouraging graduates with key skills in the sector to return to Welsh rural communities.
In a statement, Councillor Bryan Davies, WLGA Joint Spokesperson for Rural Affairs said:
“This manifesto is a clear signal that local government is ready to work with the next Welsh Government to deliver for rural Wales. Rural communities face unique challenges, from access to services and affordable housing to digital connectivity and climate resilience. Farming is central to our rural economy and culture, and the Sustainable Farming Scheme must deliver meaningful support for our agricultural communities. But rural Wales also offers enormous potential and is our nation’s backbone. With the right investment and partnership, we can ensure thriving and prosperous rural communities across Wales.”
Councillor Jake Berriman, Joint WLGA Spokesperson for Rural Affairs said:
“We look forward to progressing the key asks of our Rural Manifesto with all our key partners to ensure that all new national policy, funding and legislative proposals do not impact negatively on rural areas. Unlocking the potential and building the resilience of our rural communities through adopting a place making approach will make them attractive places to live, work and thrive”.
You can read the manifesto in full and look through the wide variety of policy proposals that it offers by following this link.
