united we stand

...a monitoring body

Despite the U.K.’s good wealth there are still many communities with severe problems such as:

• Poor environment
• High levels of crime (Community safety)
• Low educational standards
• Poor health
• Unemployment and training
• Poor housing (housing and environment)

These problems are particularly prevalent in the top 10% of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the U.K.

These communities:

• Experience several times as many burglaries as more affluent communities.
• Have higher mortality rates (people die younger).
• Have of children living in families that rely on means tested benefits (children and young people).
• Experience higher unemployment.
• Poor housing and general management and maintenance of the local environment.

The government has NOT given priority to tackling these problems and ensuring that the gap between these and more affluent communities are narrowed, so that everyone can enjoy better opportunities and quality of life.

The government has not drawn on the experience and ideas of many people who are actively involved in the regeneration of our towns and cities. As a result of its failure to implement a national strategy action plan, called a “NEW COMMITMENT TO NEIGHBOURHOOD RENEWAL”, which aims to narrow the gap between deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of the country. In most of the deprived areas, existing resources are often applied in an unfocused and uncoordinated way, with local services not meeting the communities’ needs and expectations.