TOWARDS A FAIRER NORTH LANARKSHIRE TACKLING POVERTY STRATEGY 2020 - 2023 1 Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy 2020-2023 foreword North Lanarkshire’s Tackling Poverty Strategy reflects a concerted commitment across the Community Planning Partnership to drive inclusive growth and achieve prosperity for the people and communities of North Lanarkshire. We want to ensure that North Lanarkshire will be the place This is the first North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy to where everyone has equality of opportunity, a place where be produced. The Strategy reflects our commitment to individuals and communities are poverty free. ensuring equity of opportunity for all of our residents. In North Lanarkshire we recognise that achieving our goals will not In our Plan for North Lanarkshire we committed to focus on the be quick or easy; nor will it be something that as a local authority we things that will significantly improve the quality of life and well-being will be able to do alone. Our shared ambition places partners and for all our residents. This Strategy is a major step in ensuring that communities at the core of the delivery plan. our residents are offered opportunities, support, advice and information that will address the drivers of poverty through: The North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy will ensure that we unlock the potential • Increasing income via employment; of the resources and ‘lived experience’ of all partners and communities to ensure positive outcomes for the people of North Lanarkshire. • Maximising income via social security benefits; and • Reducing the cost of living. Councillor Jim Logue Leader of North Lanarkshire Council Our community planning partners and voluntary and community sector colleagues are committed to tackling poverty and inequality and our first action plan sets out our approach to this. The close involvement of our communities in shaping our approach will ensure that we are meeting the differing needs in all of the communities of North Lanarkshire. Des Murray Chief Executive - North Lanarkshire Council Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy 2020-2023 2 3 contents 1. Foreword 2 10. Pathways Out Of Poverty - Tackling & Preventing Poverty at Source 15 Councillor Jim Logue, Leader of North Lanarkshire Council • Building North Lanarkshire’s Workforce for the Future - Increase Des Murray, Chief Executive, North Lanarkshire Council Income from Employment 2. Executive Summary 4 • Tackling Child Poverty 3. Introduction 5 • The Drivers of Poverty 4. Our Ambition - A Fairer North Lanarkshire 6 • Education and Learning Opportunities 5. Purpose of the Strategy 8 • Reducing the Cost of Living 6. What Do We Mean When We Talk About Poverty? 9 • Increase Income via Social Security Benefits 7. North Lanarkshire Poverty Profile 10 11. Delivering the Strategy 17 8. Voices of those with Lived Experience of Poverty 11 • Roles and Responsibilities 9. Supporting People - Our Achievements and • Getting our Communities Involved Challenges 12 12. Measuring Success - How Will We Know that we are Making a Difference? 18 “The Partnership should - as a matter of urgency ensure that a Tackling Poverty Strategy is produced and that the implementation of the strategy is sufficiently resourced” (Recommendation 13 North Lanarkshire Fairness Commission) Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy 2020-2023 2 3 Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy 2020-2023 executive summary Poverty and inequality are significant features of Scottish society, in North Lanarkshire 15% of our population are income deprived, with nearly one in four of our children living in poverty. Tackling poverty and its impact on people and albeit well intentioned - fragmented. The Tackling We do face challenges, we have significantly high communities does not fall on the shoulders of one Poverty Strategy will embrace the One Plan approach levels of child poverty with all bar two North Lanarkshire agency or service, therefore in order to ensure a being delivered and ensure that our communities, wards above the Scottish average of 24% of children collaborative approach, this Strategy has been residents and those working in North Lanarkshire have living in poverty. In two of our wards we have a third of developed under the umbrella of the North Lanarkshire access to the services they need when they need our children living in poverty. This makes it more Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group (TPOAG) which them, by addressing challenges through integrated important to take the overarching approach to tackling is a partnership group with members from the council, solutions rather than through fragmented approaches poverty ensuring that our children living in poverty do NHS Lanarkshire and our third sector colleagues. that meet one goal at the expense of another and not grow up to be adults living in poverty. The Strategy supports sustainable communities lays out our first steps to achieving this by exploring The foundation of the Tackling Poverty Strategy is held opportunities within education and learning, by building within the Local Child Poverty Action Report, a In embracing the One Plan approach. the Strategy North Lanarkshire’s future workforce and looking at statutory annual report to be compiled for the Scottish identifies the achievements made so far within North how we tackle the drivers of poverty by ensuring that Government. The first of these reports was compiled Lanarkshire and how we can build upon these to people have easy access to information and advice. in 2019 by the Council, NHS Lanarkshire and other ensure we can improve the health, well being and community planning support. Using the foundations opportunities available to all our residents ensuring The Strategy identifies the work that the Council and and the lessons we learned when producing the report, that North Lanarkshire is the place to live, learn, work its partners are doing to tackle poverty, however, it is the Council took the step to have an overarching invest and visit. To assist the achieving this the council also important to note that poverty is influenced by Tackling Poverty Strategy which would encompass all has made a commitment to our residents that when national and international circumstances, with the recent work in relation to tackling poverty and inequality. It was taking major decisions, we will “poverty proof” them. COVID 19 pandemic highlighting this. The Tackling recognised that there has been and continues to be Poverty Officers Action Group will review our activity positive work carried out by all services and partners, regularly and provide an annual update on our however, it is also recognised that this can be at times, programme. Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy 2020-2023 4 5 introduction Poverty is a significant feature of Scottish society affecting Poverty can restrict many people in many different ways. people’s lives in many ways. NHS Lanarkshire welcomes this Strategy Whilst low income and material deprivation are issues Report 2019, will ensure that there is concerted which will play a key role rightly at the forefront of the poverty debate, we collaborative work involving key partners including: in loosening the grip of recognise that poverty should not merely considered poverty and unlocking • North Lanarkshire Council; in terms of income or material well-being alone. everyone in our • NHS Lanarkshire; communities full Importantly, it is also a matter of health and well-being. potential. There is a complex, interlinking relationship between • Police Scotland; We know that poverty can have a detrimental the factors that influence poverty and these cannot be • Scottish Fire and Rescue Service; impact on health and wellbeing outcomes for considered in isolation. many children and families. • Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire (VANL); At present there are three major issues causing or Austerity has impacted the poorest in our exacerbating the effects of poverty on people in North • New College Lanarkshire; communities the most. Lanarkshire; • Skills Development Scotland; We look forward to building on the foundations of the partnership working that we have in North • economic factors; and • The Community and Voluntary Sector; and Lanarkshire, and believe that this strategy will • the impact of reforms to the welfare system • Communities and in particular those with lived strengthen the action to reduce poverty and make • patterns of employment experience. sure that everyone has the opportunity to lead a healthy, full life. Tackling poverty and its impact on people and This collaborative approach will ensure that driving Gabe Docherty communities does not fall on the shoulders of one inclusive growth, tackling poverty and its effect on Director of Public Health agency or service. This Strategy, together with the people’s lives is at the heart of a fully integrated actions identified within the Local Child Poverty Action delivery plan. Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy 2020-2023 4 5 Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy 2020-2023 our ambition-a fairer north lanarkshire In The Plan for North Lanarkshire, the Council and its partners have established an ambitious strategic approach for North Lanarkshire - which sets the direction for all - partners, the council, stakeholders and, most importantly, for each of our unique communities and the people who Live, Learn, Work, Invest and Visit.