PACEC Labour Market and Deprivation 6.6.2 the Only
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PACEC Labour market and deprivation 6.6.2 The only constituent domains in which Derbyshire Dales has areas showing up as in the most deprived 10% in England are Education and Barriers to Housing and Services. Rural areas, and in particular National Parks, tend to show up as barrier deprived (Table 6.14, Figure 6.4). Table 6.14 Percentage of SOAs in the lowest 10% in England % of SOAs in the lowest 10% in England Derbyshire Derbyshire Wider Peak English England Dales District National Parks (1950s) Income Deprived 0.0 7.1 1.9 2.2 10.0 Employment Deprived 0.0 9.8 1.2 3.6 10.0 Health Deprived 0.0 7.6 1.2 2.4 10.0 Education Deprived 2.3 11.1 3.7 2.7 10.0 Housing and Services Deprived 18.6 1.9 8.7 25.1 10.0 Crime Deprived 0.0 6.8 1.2 1.8 10.0 Standard of Living Deprived 0.0 4.6 0.6 5.0 10.0 Multiple Deprived 0.0 7.0 1.2 2.0 10.0 SOAs are Super Output Areas, as defined by Census 2001 Source: Index of Deprivation 2004; PACEC Ashbourne Economic Assessment Page 97 PACEC Labour market and deprivation Figure 6.4 Percentage of SOAs in the lowest 10% in England: chart 0 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% Income Deprived SOAs Employment Deprived SOAs Health Deprived SOAs Education Deprived SOAs Health and Services Deprived SOAs Crime Deprived SOAs Standard of Living Deprived SOAs Multiply Deprived SOAs Derbyshire Dales Derbyshire Wider Peak District English National Parks (1950s) England SOAs are Super Output Areas, as defined by Census 2001 Source: Index of Deprivation 2004; PACEC 6.6.3 It is well documented and recognised that rural beauty can conceal deprivation and in some parts of the district this applies well. Indeed, although the region does not register highly on the deprivation rankings, there may be hidden or less obvious problems associated with the rural setting. Pockets of deprivation in the Ashbourne area stem from poor access to affordable housing, limited local employment opportunities, relatively low wages, and a scattered population with the potential for social isolation. 6.6.4 The Peak District RAZ Pathfinder Business Plan also adds that fading market towns and rural deprivation in the area are associated with the decline of the traditional industries of agriculture, quarrying and manufacturing, industrial closures, skills shortages, seasonal/casual employment, and low wages. 6.6.5 A stock condition survey in 2003 showed that there are not large areas of ‘non- decent’ housing in Ashbourne, but there are poor quality private sector houses Ashbourne Economic Assessment Page 98 PACEC Labour market and deprivation pepper-potted across the town and surrounding rural areas. Many houses in the district, particularly in rural areas, were built a long time ago and may not have had large amounts of money spent on them to update them e.g. to improve thermal efficiency. 6.7 Deprivation: Key issues Ɣ Pockets of deprivation within an otherwise low deprivation area Ɣ Low quality private housing is pepper potted around Ashbourne and the surrounding villages. 6.8 Deprivation: Policy context 6.8.1 As part of the Derbyshire Dales, Ashbourne is fortunate in that it has been highlighted as a priority area for housing projects. 6.9 Action Plan 6.9.1 Arising from the research the following action plan is proposed: Panel 6.1 Labour Market and Deprivation Action plan Affordable Housing Ɣ Co-ordination between business groups, DDDC and the Housing Corporation to enable affordable housing should be strengthened. Ɣ The supply of affordable housing is being addressed strategically by the District Council, for whom it is their number 1 priority, as a Corporate Plan target. Opportunities to deliver additional affordable housing in Ashbourne will be considered as appropriate. The District Council’s selection process for tenants has also been very successful and is being used as a model for best practice in other areas. Inward Investment Image Ɣ The Queen Elizabeth Grammar School represents a significant asset to the town but steps must be taken to ensure that the local supply of skilled labour is not lost to other towns and cities in the area. Ɣ The Queen Elizabeth Grammar School’s links with local businesses, including courses and apprenticeships should be continued and built on. Other actions relating to Ashbourne’s Labour Market and Deprivation: Ɣ Access to training and job opportunities for residents in Ashbourne’s hinterland (see Chapter 7) Ɣ Inward Investment Image (see Chapter 8) Ashbourne Economic Assessment Page 99 PACEC Hub / town centre 7 Hub / town centre 7.1 Introduction 7.1.1 This chapter looks at Ashbourne’s role as a ‘hub’ for the wider rural area. It begins by looking at Ashbourne’s role as a service and employment centre for a wide rural catchment area. Transport provision in Ashbourne and the surrounding rural hinterland has a key impact on this, and is the subject of the next section. The remainder of the chapter includes an assessment by local businesses of Ashbourne’s role as a hub, a summary of relevant policy, together with a summary of the key issues and suggested actions. 7.1.2 In detail the topics covered in the chapter are as follows: Ɣ Employment centre for the wider rural catchment area - Employment - Commuting Ɣ Service centre for the wider rural hinterland - Retail - Leisure and Sport - Education - Health Care - Arts andCulture - Provision for Youth Ɣ Traffic / transportation - Congestion - Link Roads - Access to the Airfield Industrial Site - Travel to Work - Car use - Car Parking - Public transport provision Ɣ Assessment by businesses - Strengths and weaknesses as a ‘hub’ - Strengths and weaknesses of transport - Current role - Future role Ɣ Key Issues Ɣ Policy Context Ɣ Suggested Actions Ashbourne Economic Assessment Page 100 PACEC Hub / town centre 7.2 Employment centre for the wider rural catchment area Employment 7.2.1 Employment in Ashbourne is strongly represented in the retail, construction and transportation sectors but less strongly in wholesale, financial services, health and education, and personal services. Table 7.1 Retail employment Employment index Retail Establishments Employees (England = 1.0) Ashbourne 90 720 1.3 Rest of Study Area 40 100 0.2 Study Area 130 820 0.8 Derbyshire Dales 510 3,000 0.8 Derbyshire 3,300 25,500 0.8 Wider Peak District 1,400 8,300 0.8 English National Parks 7,600 52,100 1.0 East Midlands 20,100 210,400 1.1 England 249,200 2,555,000 1.0 Note: if 5% of employment in England is in industry X, & in Ashbourne it is 6%, Ashbourne would have an index of 1.20 (=6/5) showing that it has 20% more employment in that industry than the national average. Source: Annual Business Inquiry 2005; PACEC 7.2.2 While the proportion of construction employment is typical of the study area (Table 7.2), high retail employment is particular to Ashbourne town (Table 7.1), highlighting both the importance of retail employment in the town and the town’s role as a retail centre for the study area. Table 7.2 Construction employment Employment index Construction Establishments Employees (England = 1.0) Ashbourne 40 300 1.4 Rest of Study Area 90 300 1.5 Study Area 130 600 1.5 Derbyshire Dales 350 1,400 0.9 Derbyshire 2,900 13,900 1.1 Wider Peak District 1,100 3,600 0.9 English National Parks 6,100 25,200 1.3 East Midlands 17,200 92,200 1.1 England 193,000 1,030,000 1.0 Note: if 5% of employment in England is in industry X, & in Ashbourne it is 6%, Ashbourne would have an index of 1.20 (=6/5) showing that it has 20% more employment in that industry than the national average. Source: Annual Business Inquiry 2005; PACEC Ashbourne Economic Assessment Page 101 PACEC Hub / town centre 7.2.3 In contrast, Ashbourne’s rural hinterland boasts higher than average wholesale employment, presumably fuelled by the study area’s central UK location. Table 7.3 Wholesale employment Employment index Wholesale Establishments Employees (England = 1.0) Ashbourne 20 100 0.3 Rest of Study Area 40 600 2.8 Study Area 60 600 1.5 Derbyshire Dales 200 1,800 1.2 Derbyshire 1,520 12,600 1.0 Wider Peak District 560 3,900 1.0 English National Parks 2,540 15,500 0.8 East Midlands 9,800 87,800 1.1 England 114,000 1,004,000 1.0 Note: if 5% of employment in England is in industry X, & in Ashbourne it is 6%, Ashbourne would have an index of 1.20 (=6/5) showing that it has 20% more employment in that industry than the national average. Source: Annual Business Inquiry 2005; PACEC 7.2.4 Transport employment is above average for all parts of the study area, especially the rural hinterland, though all Peak District and Derbyshire areas also have a high proportion of employment in the transportation sector when compared to England as a whole (Table 7.4). This is not surprising given the strength of the minerals industry in the area. Table 7.4 Transportation employment Employment index Land transport Establishments Employees (England = 1.0) Ashbourne 20 200 1.8 Rest of Study Area 70 300 3.3 Study Area 90 500 2.5 Derbyshire Dales 230 1,000 1.5 Derbyshire 1,100 7,600 1.4 Wider Peak District 650 2,800 1.5 English National Parks 1,800 13,600 1.5 East Midlands 4,600 41,000 1.1 England 42,300 458,400 1.0 Note: if 5% of employment in England is in industry X, & in Ashbourne it is 6%, Ashbourne would have an index of 1.20 (=6/5) showing that it has 20% more employment in that industry than the national average.