SPARSE is a grouping of the most rural local authorities in England. It is a Special Interest Group of the Local Government Association and has some 90 members, comprising county, district and unitary local authorities. It seeks to represent the views of over 7.5 million people living in England's most rural areas. The area covered by member authorities exceeds one third of the country.

SPARSE believes that the problems of rural areas are often under-stated and that these very rural areas are often under-funded. The provision of service inevitably costs more per head of population because of rurality. The group works to give a voice to local authorities working in very rural England and to the people who live there.

SPARSE is apolitical. It has four meetings of councillors each year and email groupings covering finance, economic development, housing, performance, planning and Waste Management.

SPARSE has established a sister group for all major public service providers serving the most rural areas. The group has some 150members and is known as the Rural Services Partnership. The two groups are linked through the Rural Services Network.

Throughout 2008, SPARSE meetings will take place at Local Government House, London. For a map and directions, please click here. Meetings start at 11.30am and feed into meetings of the Rural Services Network, finishing around 3-3.30pm.

Dates for meetings during 2008 are: Monday 3 March, Monday 2 June, Monday 15 September and Monday 15 December (AGM).