Warning of divided city as poverty increases

Labour’s leader in Bristol has warned that the city is becoming more divided after a report showed thousand more people had fallen into poverty.

Sixty-nine thousand people in Bristol are living in the most deprived areas in the country in 2015, two per cent more than five years ago, according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation.

Helen Holland, Labour group leader, who is also a councillor in Whitchurch Park, the most deprived ward in the city, said inequality was now the “biggest challenge” facing the city.

“Deprivation in communities like the one I represent in Whitchurch Park is deepening. Low incomes, a lack of employment opportunities and poor public transport are pushing more people into poverty.

“Bristol is portrayed as a place where the economy is booming, and everyone is doing well, but the reality is quite different for a huge number of people and unless action is taken now, the scale of poverty in Bristol will continue to increase and we will become a more divided city.”

The Index of Multiple Deprivation combines data on income, employment, education, health crime and housing taken from the tax year of 2012/13

It found that in Bristol 16 per cent of residents – 69,000 people – live in the most deprived areas in England, including 17,800 children and 10,500 older people.

Twenty-two per cent of Bristol’s children live in the most deprived areas – an increase of four percentage points – and 14 per cent of Bristol’s older people live in the most deprived areas – an increase of 1.7 percentage points.

Holland is calling on mayor George Ferguson to do more to tackle poverty and has drawn up a five-point plan in a motion to full council, which includes ring-fencing early years services, and committing all major projects – like the arena – to play a part.

She added: “Well meant words and good intentions are no longer enough. We have to tackle the causes as well as the symptoms of deprivation.

“To do this the council’s policy has to change. We need to focus on those parts of the city which seem to have been forgotten by the mayor.

“That is why we are challenging him to commit to a package of policy initiatives that will not only help people living in poverty today but will also confront the causes of deprivation in our poorest communities.

“We need to do more to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to benefit from Bristol’s success not just the few at the top. I hope the mayor will start to see that this cannot wait, as otherwise or his legacy will be appearing to give up on the fight against poverty.”

The report found that Bishport Avenue and Hareclive, both in Whitchurch Park ward, were the most deprived parts of the city, coming 65th and 67th in the whole of the UK. Whitchurch Park, Filwood, Hartcliffe and Lawrence Hill were found to be the most deprived wards in the city.

Ferguson said Holland was being misleading by using statistics recorded when he was not in power. In an opinion article he defended his record, pointing to “draconian” central Government cuts.

Read what people in Filwood say about the idea of Bristol being a divided city.