Feb 12 2008
The UK Government's £2bn New Deal for Communities programme is delivering real improvements to people's lives, raising satisfaction, and bridging the gap between some our most deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of England, according to a new independent report published today.
39 deprived areas including in Lambeth, Bradford, Plymouth, Manchester, Leicester, Hackney, Oldham, Middlesbrough and Hull are making huge strides in improving quality of life and opportunity.
Key findings covering NDC areas between 2001-02 and 2005-06 show:
- a reduction in total crime rate, fear of crime, feelings of being unsafe after dark, lawlessness and dereliction;
- an 11 percentage point increase (from 26 per cent to 37 per cent) in the number of children gaining 5 + A*-C GCSEs;
- a decline in the number of smokers and those who believe their health is not good;
- increased satisfaction with the NDC area as a place to live of 11 percentage points (from 60 per cent to 71 per cent);
- more people who feel a part of their community (up from 35 per cent to 42 per cent).
- 57 per cent of people believe that NDC has improved their area (up from 33 per cent) and 80 per cent of people think that their quality of life is good (up from 76 per cent);
- NDC areas significantly out-perform other similarly deprived areas on public satisfaction with the areas as a place to live, the environment and the extent to which neighbours look out for each other.
In all 32 of 36 indicators used show improvement with a more mixed picture in the other four. The report shows that 'evidence of change at the area level is overwhelmingly positive'.
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said: "NDC projects are transforming areas that for too long have been blighted by the cycle of deprivation. For some people NDCs have helped, it is the first time that they have felt proud of where they live, getting involved with and feeling part of their local communities.
"But I recognise that there is more to be done to narrow the gap that still exists between the richest and poorest neighbourhoods in our country. That is why we have launched the Working Neighbourhoods Fund, targeting £1.5billion to those communities most in need, and tackling worklessness that has gone on for too long for too many.
"Today's report shows we are making real progress through the New Deal for Communities. We must use this now as a springboard to further success in the future."