15 Minutes With… Kerry Booth, Chief Executive, Rural Services Network

What does it really take to champion rural communities at a national level — and are policymakers actually listening?

In this episode, we sit down with Kerry Booth, Chief Executive of the Rural Services Network, the national body representing over 450 rural local authorities and service providers across England. Kerry shares her journey from frontline local government to leading the RSN, and makes a compelling case for why rural communities deserve far more than an afterthought in national policy.

We discuss the stark funding gap that sees urban councils receive a third more in government spending power per head than their rural counterparts, why so many Whitehall departments still struggle to understand the realities of rural life, and what genuine rural proofing should look like in practice. Kerry also sets out the enormous untapped potential of the rural economy — estimated at £19 billion in additional Treasury contributions with the right policy interventions — and explains why devolution could be a double-edged sword for rural communities.

A wide-ranging, honest, and essential conversation for anyone working at the intersection of policy, place, and public services.