EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - New Deal for Communities is turning around England’s most deprived areas

New Deal for Communities is turning around England’s most deprived areas

12-02-2008

According to a recent report of the Centre for Regional, Economic & Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University, the UK Government's £2bn New Deal for Communities (NDC) programme is delivering real improvements to people's lives, raising satisfaction, and bridging the gap between some of England's most deprived neighbourhoods. The report states that 39 deprived areas including in Lambeth, Bradford, Plymouth, Manchester, Leicester, Hackney, Oldham, Middlesbrough and Hull are making significant 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.

Source: Communities and Local Government

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