Concerns over housing shortages, struggling services and growing rural isolation were laid bare during a high-level visit to Devon, as local leaders pressed for greater recognition of the challenges facing countryside communities.
Devon county councillor Cheryl Cottle Hunkin said she welcomed chief medical officer Sir Chris Whitty to the county, where discussions focused on the “realities” affecting rural areas.
Cllr Cottle Hunkin said: “It was a real pleasure to welcome Sir Chris Whitty, chief medical officer, to Devon and to have the opportunity to speak honestly about the realities facing our rural communities.”
She said key issues raised during the visit included a lack of affordable housing, low wages, poor public transport and the decline of local services.
Cllr Cottle Hunkin said: “We highlighted some of the biggest challenges affecting people across Devon: the lack of affordable housing for local people, low wages, poor public transport, and the steady decline of local services.”
She added that increasing digitisation was widening inequalities, with more services moving online while some residents remained excluded.
Cllr Cottle Hunkin said: “We also discussed how increasing digitisation is deepening inequalities, with more services moving online and many people being left behind because they are digitally excluded.”
The councillor also raised concerns about the pressures facing young people in rural areas, including limited transport options and fewer opportunities.
She said: “We also spoke about the particular difficulties facing young people in rural areas, including limited transport, fewer opportunities, barriers to training and employment, and the sense of isolation that can come with growing up in dispersed communities.”
Farming and rural livelihoods were also discussed, with Cllr Cottle Hunkin highlighting increasing stress and isolation within the sector.
She said: “I spoke about the growing pressures and stresses facing farmers, and the increasing isolation that comes with modern farming systems.”
Cllr Cottle Hunkin added: “Farming is not simply a job, it is a way of life, and for many it continues well into later life.”
She said changes in working practices had reduced social interaction.
Cllr Cottle Hunkin said: “The shift from traditional, shared labour to increasingly solitary working patterns has had a real impact on wellbeing and connection in rural communities.”
She also noted the role of young farmers clubs.
Cllr Cottle Hunkin said: “I also mentioned the importance of Young Farmers Clubs.”
During the visit, Sir Chris spoke about the value of trusted individuals and community spaces in delivering public health services, and the potential for improved outreach in rural areas.
Cllr Cottle Hunkin said: “It was encouraging to hear Sir Chris speak about the importance of trusted people and trusted spaces in delivering public health services, and we discussed the opportunities for better outreach across dispersed rural populations.”
She said one of the key themes was how national data can fail to reflect rural deprivation.
Cllr Cottle Hunkin said: “What stood out most was that he was genuinely listening. He recognised that national averages, including the index of multiple deprivation, often fail to reflect the lived reality of rural communities.”
She added that common measures such as car ownership can be misleading in rural contexts.
Cllr Cottle Hunkin said: “We discussed how measures in the IMD such as car ownership are treated as indicators of relative affluence, when in rural areas a car is not a luxury but a necessity for getting to work, accessing healthcare, reaching schools, and simply managing daily life.”
She said there was agreement on the need for more detailed local data.
Cllr Cottle Hunkin said: “He agreed that these averages often miss the reality of rural deprivation and placed real emphasis on the need for more granular local data to strengthen our case and ensure rural issues are properly understood in policy making.”
She described the visit as valuable and thanked the county council’s public health team for organising the day.
Cllr Cottle Hunkin said: “A very valuable visit, and an important conversation for Devon.”
