A major new report has called on the Government to provide more support to rural areas which are being missed by Government policy.

Land of Opportunity – England’s Rural Periphery has been published by the New Local Government Network (NLGN).

It was written in collaboration with a group of 12 local councils, led by Cornwall Council, brought together as Britain’s Leading Edge which is aiming to highlight how the Government focus is on urban areas with rural areas being left out.

The report puts forward three key “asks” of the Government which could help improve the opportunities of rural areas, their businesses and residents.

The first is “a stronger, rebalanced national economy” which includes an industrial strategy that works for both rural and urban areas; a UK Shared Prosperity Fund that minimises regional inequalities and more devolution to rural and peripheral areas.

“Improved social cohesion and mobility” is the second area with calls for a new Rural Social Mobility Fund; employment and skills devolution to rural areas and improvements to transport infrastructure.

Lastly it calls for “21st century living and working” with a need for excellent digital connectivity in rural and peripheral areas; more innovative approaches to improving mobility in rural areas and linking them with the rest of the UK; and the establishment of a high profile 21st century rural commission.

Julian German, leader of Cornwall Council, said that by working with other authorities Cornwall has a stronger voice in Westminster.

He said: “We have heard Boris Johnson talking about levelling up but there are challenges and disparity in some areas such as transport, social mobility and around digital.

“It is all very well saying that they will level up but now we need to see the investment needed to do so.

“We have seen the difference in funding that other areas get compared to us and it is hundreds of pounds per head. We are not arguing to take that away from other places, but we want to see the same resource as those other places so that we can do fantastic things for our residents.”

Cllr German said that Cornwall’s devolution deal in 2015 had allowed the council to take control and improve services such as public transport – saying that the number of people using buses in Cornwall is increasing, contactless payment has been introduced and other improvements.

He said that if that was replicated elsewhere and also in different service areas then it could help address the inequality.

Cllr German said that the report highlighted that investment in rural areas would also help the UK economy by increasing and improving the productivity of those areas which have previously lost out.

The report comes just after an announcement by Cornwall Council of being involved in the Great South West – another initiative aiming to encourage investment across the region.

And Cornwall Council itself is already leading on a campaign for fairer funding for Cornwall.

Asked whether being involved in a number of different initiatives could dilute the message that Cornwall is trying to send to Westminster Cllr German said he didn’t think it would.

He said: “We are involved in a number of groups and I am rural lead for the county councils’ network – they are all forms of voices into Government.

“As always myself and colleagues are working with the MPs to go to Government and say what we need for Cornwall and we are still doing that.

“This (report and group) is another way of making that same similar argument to the Government. I don’t think it dilutes Cornwall’s position, it supports it.”

Cllr German was also keen to highlight that the calls being made in the report were separate from the council continuing to press for the Government to continue to provide funding which would have come to Cornwall from the EU post Brexit.

He said: “It is important that the Government is clear about that. This is looking at other areas of resources that we need and how we can address inequality.”

In his foreword to the report Cllr German writes: “Unlocking a new economy that delivers prosperity for the whole country must begin with understanding the missed opportunities associated with treating rural areas as just a peripheral concern.

“We need to reframe our conception of the rural offer: not as ‘hinterlands’ to which benefits are hoped to trickle down, but as turbines for powering and feeding the country; not as a mere afterthought of tick-box rural proofing, but as places at the core of solutions to wicked challenges.”