Scotland's rural, remote and island communities: what's coming next?
Tuesday 19th January 2027
Scotland’s rural, remote and island communities are under pressure. Housing shortages, fragile public services, transport disruption, workforce challenges and demographic change are all acute. These issues are closely connected, threatening long-term viability of communities and their ability to attract and retain people and businesses.
The newly elected Scottish Parliament offers potential for change. The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government, the Rural Renewal Bill and National Islands Plan offer possible pathways forward. Together, they set out ambitions for improved connectivity, housing, public services and economic development. The challenge is translating these commitments into real growth and development for communities. However, proposed substantial public sector reform also raises questions over services – in both their organisation and their delivery.
Achieving sustainable rural and island communities will need joined-up approaches to housing, transport, healthcare, education and local infrastructure. Can public bodies, businesses and community organisations work together to address the costs and complexity of rural service delivery, workforce shortages and the particular needs of dispersed populations?
Non-urban Scotland also faces significant economic challenges and opportunities, across renewable energy, agriculture, fisheries, tourism and community enterprise. Realising potential requires securing investment, developing skills, strengthening local businesses and ensuring that economic growth benefits those communities and supports population retention.
This conference brings together policymakers, public service providers, businesses and community leaders to examine the challenges and opportunities facing rural, remote and island Scotland. It will explore how national policy, local innovation and cross-sector collaboration can sustain essential services, strengthen local economies and secure viable communities for the future.
This online conference will focus on three themes:
- Future of rural and island communities in Scotland – policy, population and public service sustainability
- Foundations of viability – housing, transport and connectivity
- Achieving sustainable communities – economic opportunity, local capacity and delivery
Topics the conference will explore
- Scottish Government priorities and delivery commitments
- Viability challenge on population change, rural proofing and the future of local communities
- Public services under pressure
- Rural and island housing and getting homes where they are needed
- Lifeline transport and connectivity for reliability, affordability and access
- Rural economic renewal in jobs, investment and sustainable local growth
- Planning beyond physical distance for digital infrastructure, energy and essential local services
- Community wealth, local ownership and community-led development
- The viability of rural, remote and island communities and a practical agenda for the next five years
- Sustainable communities with economic opportunity, local capacity and effective delivery
Who should attend?
This conference is for professionals, policymakers and organisations working to strengthen rural, remote and island communities across Scotland, including:
- Local authorities: chief executives, directors, heads of service and other officers responsible for communities, economic development, housing, planning, transport, education, social work, infrastructure, regeneration, community planning and public service reform
- Scottish Government, national agencies and public bodies: policy makers and other officers working in rural and islands policy, local government, regional development, transport, housing, health, infrastructure, community empowerment and population policy
- Health, social care and education: NHS boards, Integration Joint Boards, Health and Social Care Partnerships, colleges, universities and other organisations responsible for planning or delivering services in rural and island areas
- Transport and infrastructure: ferry and aviation operators, Regional Transport Partnerships, community transport providers, roads authorities, digital infrastructure providers, utilities and infrastructure planners
- Housing and planning: housing associations, housing partnerships, community housing organisations, rural developers, landowners, planners and organisations involved in providing and supporting key-worker housing
- Economic development and business: enterprise agencies, regional economic partnerships, chambers of commerce, tourism bodies, agricultural and fishing organisations, renewable energy businesses and rural SMEs
- Third sector and communities: development trusts, community landowners, social enterprises, community councils, rural and island representative organisations and community-led development partnerships
- Advisers and professionals: consultants, researchers, policy specialists, funders and professional advisers working with rural, remote and island communities
Agenda
Tuesday 19th January 2027
09:05 Chair's opening remarks
Session 1: Future of rural and island communities in Scotland – policy, population and public service sustainability
09:10 Keynote speaker: Rural and Island Scotland to 2031 – The Scottish Government's priorities and delivery commitments
- The Programme for Government, Rural Renewal Bill and National Islands Plan
- Depopulation, inequality and the costs of delivering services across rural and island Scotland
- Aligning public investment, regional development and local decision-making
09:30 Question and answer session
09:40 The viability challenge – population change, rural proofing and the future of local communities
- The demographic, economic and geographical pressures
- Rural and island proofing – cumulative impacts of national policy and service decisions
- What makes communities sustainable and how outcomes should be measured
09:55 Addressing public services under pressure
- Health, social care, education and other essential services amid workforce shortages and financial constraints
- Balancing centralisation, digital delivery, local provision and the cost of serving dispersed populations
- Shared facilities, flexible workforce models and cross-sector partnerships
10:10 Question and answer session
10:25 Comfort break
Session 2: Foundations of viability – housing, transport and connectivity
10:40 Rural and island housing – getting homes where they are needed
- Delivering affordable and key-worker housing
- Land availability, planning, infrastructure costs, construction capacity and the effects of second homes and short-term lets
- Smaller housing development financial viability and aligning new homes with workforce and population needs
10:55 Lifeline transport and connectivity – reliability, affordability and access
- Delivering the Islands Connectivity Plan and improving ferry reliability, vessel investment and resilience
- Rural bus provision, road and rail connectivity, aviation costs and the integration of services
- Transport decisions which reflect access to employment, healthcare, education and essential services
11:10 Beyond physical distance – digital infrastructure, energy and essential local services
- Broadband and mobile coverage – ensuring digital public services remain accessible to rural residents
- Energy costs, infrastructure resilience and the opportunities and constraints associated with local renewable energy
- Protecting the remaining shops, community facilities and other services – investment, partnership and innovative delivery
11:25 Question and answer session
11:40 Comfort break
Session 3: Achieving sustainable communities – economic opportunity, local capacity and delivery
11:55 Rural economic renewal – jobs, investment and sustainable local growth
- The Rural Renewal Bill and regional economic priorities on practical support for businesses and employment
- Supporting agriculture, food and drink, fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, emerging industries and ocal supply chains
- Skills, infrastructure and investment needed for young people to build their futures locally
12:10 Community wealth, local ownership and community-led development
- Retaining economic value locally to support community ownership, local assets, procurement and community wealth building
- The role of development trusts, social enterprises and community organisations
- Getting from consultation to meaningful local participation in investment and service decisions
12:25 Rural, remote and island community viability – a practical agenda for the next five years
- Bringing housing, transport, services, workforce development and economic investment into joined-up local delivery plans
- Identifying the responsibilities of national government, councils, enterprise agencies, businesses and communities
- Establishing realistic priorities, partnership arrangements and measures of success for sustainable rural and island futures
12:40 Question and answer session
12:55 Chair's closing remarks
Speakers
Venue
This conference takes place online.
Fees
How to book
You can book to attend in 3 ways:
- Select book now on the right hand side of this page, fill in the form on that page and click the 'send booking' button
- Call 07377 147271
OR
- Email mail@mackayhannah.com
Conference fees
Delegate fee – £189 +VAT
Group discount – organisations booking 3 or more delegates will receive every third delegate place at half price (please complete further forms if necessary)
Payment
We do not currently accept payments online and will send you an invoice.
You have the option to pay by bank transfer or card.
Bank details will be included on the invoice.
If you wish to pay by card, please tick the appropriate box on the booking form and a member of our staff will contact you by telephone to take the payment. Alternatively you may call 07377 147271.
Terms and conditions
By placing this booking, you agree to the full terms and conditions found via the link at the foot of our website.
