Reducing inequalities and breaking the cycle of deprivation

Oxfordshire is an affluent county but there are pockets of deprivation. It is important to tackle these problems for economic reasons, to ensure we sustain a stable and cohesive society and to give individuals every chance to succeed. Key areas for attention will include:

• Improving educational attainment and skills.
• Promoting healthy lifestyles.
• Working with local people to address local community concerns.
• Focusing attention on the localities in greatest need to make a real difference.

We pledge to:

• Reduce the gap between the best and worst off.
• Increase educational attainment and skill levels.
• Tackle crime and anti-social behaviour 'hot spots'.
• Regenerate deprived local communities.

Current position

Oxfordshire is, in general, an affluent county with low levels of social exclusion compared with England as a whole. Unemployment, poverty, poor health, poor housing and crime are all significantly below the national average. But stubborn inequalities remain, within particular groups of people and specific geographical localities. We recognise that pockets of deprivation and groups of people experiencing inequality occur in rural as well as urban areas of the county and that rural deprivation is particularly difficult to address as it is scattered across a large number of often small settlements. In such communities there may be evidence of worklessness (those who are of working age but not in work, full time education or training and those not actively seeking work), poor housing and crime. Individuals may be living in relative poverty often related to low income, poor qualifications and skills and associated low self esteem. Lifestyles may also be unhealthy.

The cycle of deprivation is a description of what happens when people or areas suffer from a combination of linked factors including employment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, crime, poor health and worse access to services. The combination of several or all of these elements leads to disadvantage that can continue from one generation to the next. We recognise that extra effort is required to break this cycle so that everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed and to achieve their full potential in life.

We also recognise that there is a high 'turnover' of residents in some communities with people moving onwards to pursue jobs, secure the housing and access to services they need and this can undermine a sense of local community. This trend needs to be reversed if the aspiration for all our communities to be thriving communities is to be delivered.

Our approach

Our approach will be focused on the following:

• Raising educational achievement and skill levels - We want to raise educational achievement for all but there is a particular need to address the achievement of some black and minority ethnic communities, children in public care and people in communities where people have few qualifications and in particular to equip local people with the skills needed by local businesses.
• Family support - to break the cycle of deprivation, work with families to promote the importance of education and skills, addressing parenting skills, and reduce teenage pregnancy and promote healthy lifestyles.
• Regenerating local communities - there are several areas of the city and of some of our market towns where statutory agencies need to work together and with local people to improve the area. This will include work to
  • Improve the supply and quality of housing for those who require it and support the vulnerable including those experiencing homelessness
  • Reduce the impact of crime in identified 'hotspots' and divert young people from antisocial behaviour.

How will we measure success?

• No communities to be amongst the worst 10% in the country for aspects of deprivation.
• Educational attainment and skill levels to have risen well above the national average.
• Health inequality measured in differences in death and disease rates between the best and worst off will be reduced.
• Worklessness (those who are of working age but not in work, full time education or training and those not actively seeking work) to be the lowest in the country.
• Crime and fear of crime to be below the national average.

Our priorities for action

Details of action planned for the medium and longer term are set out in the accompanying delivery plan.

Key partnerships to develop the theme

• Oxfordshire Voluntary Sector Development Partnership
• Children and Young People Partnership
• Health and Well-Being Partnership
• Oxfordshire Safer Communities Partnership
• Economy Partnership
• Environment Partnership
• Social Inclusion Reference group

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