Agenda item

-        Chief Executive to report.

Councillor Hussain, Cabinet Member for Community Development, Equalities and Young People’s Issues, introduced a report by the Chief Executive which set out details of the new Indices of Deprivation for 2010 which had been published by the Communities for Local Government on 24^th March, 2011.  The Indices were first developed to support the national Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal in 2000 and aimed to provide a consistent measure of deprivation for all areas in England and assist in monitoring the gap between the most deprived areas and national or borough averages.

Rotherham was ranked 48^th most deprived district in England in the first Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) in 2000.  The revised 2004 Index placed Rotherham at 63^rd and the Borough improved further to 58^th in the 2007 Index.  The IMD 2010 now ranked Rotherham 53^rd out of 326 districts.  Given the baselines used, the trends indicated that relative deprivation reduced in Rotherham after 1998 but increased again after 2005.  Analysis of the nature and distribution of deprivation, change over time and the implications were outlined in the report submitted.

The Indices of Deprivation have been used in the past by the Government and other agencies in defining eligibility for regeneration funding including the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) and Working Neighbourhoods Fund (WNF).  Rotherham was not eligible for WNF as the Government tightened the criteria to target 66 authorities rather than the 88 which were NRF funded.

Whilst there was no current proposal to replace WNF, Rotherham was still likely to benefit from small scale external funding or programmes which sought to target the most deprived areas.  The more widespread deprivation indicated in the ID2010 compared with the ID2007 meant that more areas in the Borough could potentially benefit.

Data from the Crime Doman suggested that relative crime deprivation in Rotherham had increased, but the Borough had actually improved and closed the gap with England. 

The increase in deprivation which the Indices had indicated may increase the benefits to Rotherham from funding which targeted areas of high deprivation.  However, the degree to which the coalition Government would use the ID2010 to target resources towards areas of high deprivation was not yet clear.

Cabinet Members emphasised that there was now a major challenge to support deprived areas and people in need, particularly having regard to the significant loss of grant income.

Particular reference was made to crime and information was provided on the data available and the action being taken to continually reduce crime.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the report and the increase in deprivation in Rotherham be noted.

(2)  That the concerns about the baseline used in the Indices of Deprivation 2010, which largely pre-dated the economic downturn and the anomalous trends within the Crime Domain, be noted.

(3)  That the continued importance of monitoring actual changes measures by relevant indicators to supplement the Indices of Deprivation be noted.

(4)  That it be noted that the most deprived areas in Rotherham had experienced the largest increase in deprivation and continue to need targeted assistance as do areas which were at risk of becoming very deprived.

(5)  That a Scrutiny Review be undertaken to examine the impact of regeneration funding on deprivation in Rotherham