Appendix 1
Rotherham 2008 State of the Borough
A Statistical Portrait
Introduction
Rotherham Council and its partner agencies need to develop plans and policies, and deliver services to maintain and improve the quality of life for all citizens in the Borough, ensuring that their needs are met.
Together with its partner organisations, the Council needs to respond to a wide range of external influences and pressures which affect the way that services are designed and delivered. Government policy and performance management requirements have a significant influence on local priorities, as well as what is happening elsewhere in the region and nationally.
To ensure that local services meet the needs of Rotherham residents, the Council needs to gather detailed information about conditions in the Borough so it can respond effectively and advise partners and communities. It is also essential that the Council monitors how conditions are changing over time to help with longer term planning. A good example is the changing age structure of the population which means that there will be fewer young people and growing numbers of people in the oldest age groups. Knowledge of these changes means that it is possible to plan for service changes which may be required and anticipate their impact on the local community and economy.
This document draws out key facts from information gathered by the Council and partner organisations to provide an overview of the current State of the Borough and some indication of expected changes. Although it draws on past trends, this report is largely a snapshot based on available statistical data, which will be updated over time. State of the Borough is one of a range of documents produced by the Council’s Corporate Research Team in the Chief Executive’s Office. For more detailed information on any of the topics covered in this document or other related documents, please see the Council website at: http://www.rotherham.gov.uk/graphics/YourCouncil/Policy+Research+and+Co nsultation/_Research.htm
Alternatively, the Corporate Research Team can assist with more detailed area based information or provide service or agency contact details for help with more detailed requests about particular topics.
2 Rotherham MBC Corporate Research Team
Miles Crompton [email protected] 01709 82 2763
Laura Hunt [email protected] 01709 82 2787
Francesca Panizzi [email protected] 01709 82 2763
David Alexander [email protected] 01709 82 2787
A Profile of Rotherham
Rotherham is one of four metropolitan districts which together make up South Yorkshire. Rotherham is 7 miles from Sheffield and 15 miles from Doncaster, and covers 109 square miles or 283 square kilometres. Most of Rotherham’s population live in urban areas but large parts of the Borough are rural with half of the land in the Borough being used for agriculture.
During the Nineteenth Century Rotherham was transformed from a small market town serving an agricultural hinterland into a major industrial centre for coal mining and steel making. Large scale industrial development resulted in the population growing rapidly from 17,000 in 1801 to 120,000 in 1901. The population continued to grow during the Twentieth Century and is now estimated at 253,400 (2007). Most of Rotherham’s traditional industries of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries have now vanished although there remains a major steelworks at Aldwarke and a coal mine at Maltby. After a long period of decline during the 1980s and 1990s, new industries have developed and economic growth has boosted the employment rate from 67% in 1998 to 72% in 2007. Over the same period, the number of jobs located in Rotherham have grown by 29%, the highest increase in Yorkshire and the Humber. Rotherham’s average unemployment rate during 2007 was 5.1%, below the national average of 5.4% and the regional rate of 5.6%.
The majority of Rotherham’s residents live in urban areas, about 50% in the Rotherham Urban Area (around Rotherham Town Centre) and 38% in smaller towns such as Wath, Maltby and Dinnington. Rural areas, mainly in the south of the Borough contain 12% of the population. Black and Minority Ethnic groups make up 6.2% of the Borough population, with those of Pakistani or Kashmiri origin being the largest of these (2.1%). Inner urban Rotherham has a very diverse mixture of people and cultures.
3 Rotherham has excellent transport links to the rest of the country, being served by the M1 motorway which provides access to Leeds and Nottingham, and the M18 which gives access to the Humber ports. There is an extensive network of rail and bus services, providing good links with Sheffield and other neighbouring towns. There are five airports within a 50 mile radius of Rotherham, including the relatively new “Robin Hood” airport only 20 miles away, near Doncaster.
Rotherham Town Centre and Parkgate Retail World are the main shopping centres in the Borough and a wide range of shopping is available at the Meadowhall Centre, just outside the Borough boundary. Rotherham Town Centre has attractive pedestrianised areas and a redeveloped Centenary Market but has suffered from a decline in trade over recent years. The Rotherham Renaissance initiative has started to transform the Town Centre with major regeneration investment taking place over the next 20 years to provide new office, retail, leisure and civic facilities.
Rotherham also has a major visitor attraction at the Magna Science Adventure Centre based in a former steelworks. The Borough also has some excellent country parks such as Rother Valley and Thrybergh as well as Clifton Park and Museum located in central Rotherham.
Recent years have seen a major transformation in the Borough driven mainly by a growing and resilient economy. Job creation in Rotherham has resulted in an extra 14,600 people going into work between 2000 and 2006, increasing at a rate well above the national and regional averages. There have also been wider improvements, for example increased life expectancy, rising prosperity, improved educationalrd attainment and falling deprivatithon (with the Borough moving from 63 most deprived district in 2004 to 68 in 2007 according to Government’s Index of Multiple Deprivation). However, there remains much work to be done to ensure that everyone in the Borough can benefit from the social, economic and environmental progress, and improving quality of life.
Population
Introduction The population of the area covered by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough grew rapidly from 17,191 in 1801 to 120,000 in 1901 and had reached 253,400 by 2007. The population has been growing since 2001 and is expected to continue to rise gradually over the coming years.
Population Trends
Office for National Statistics th (ONS) estimates show that the population of Rotherham was 253,400 at 30 June 2007, an increase of 0.4% (1,100) since 2004 and 1.5% (3,800) since 2002. Whilst the total population of Rotherham has been relatively stable in recent decades, the age structure has been changing far more, broadly in line with national trends.
4 Rotherham has 89,100 people aged 50 or over, 35.2% of the population, a proportion which has been and continues to rise. The most significant change has been in the oldest age groups, with a 63% increase in the 75+ population and a 158% (3,000) increase in the 85+ population since 1981. Between 1981 and 2007 there was a reduction of 26% in the 10 to 14 age group and a decline of 19% in the 20 to 29 age group. An important factor behind this trend has been young people leaving the Borough to study or work. Middle aged groups have increased, notably those aged 40 to 49 which has seen a 32% rise.
Migration and Natural Change Migration data used by ONS to calculate Mid Year Population Estimates shows that 91% migration to and from Rotherham has been within the UK (2001 – 2007). In 2006/07 7,000 people moved into the Borough and 7,500 left. The net outflow was countered by natural change whereby there were 500 more births than deaths. The growth in Rotherham’s population between 2006 and 2007 was only 100, the same as the net inflow of people from outside the UK.
Population Projections The most recent population projections suggest that the population of Rotherham will increase by 6% to 271,100 by 2018 and 286,300 by 2028 due to rising life expectancy, natural increase and migration into the Borough. The number of people aged over 65 is projected to increase by 26% over the next ten years, from 41,800 to 52,600 in 2018. The over 85 age group is expected to increase the most, by 30% from 5,000 to 6,500 by 2018. Since 1981 the number of 0 to 14 year olds has fallen by 19.7% to 46,000 in 2007. However, the number of children aged under 10 is projected to increase by 10% between 2008 and 2018, rising from 29,900 in to 33,000.
Gender Of the 253,400 people in Rotherham in 2007, 129,400 (51%) are female and 124,000 (49%) are male, mirroring national averages. Males tend to outnumber females up to the age of 25, whilst the numbers of men and women in their 50s are almost equal. In other age groups women are in the majority, particularly evident in the oldest age groups. There are 3.6 women for every man aged over 90, reflected in the fact that there are two and half times as many women in residential and nursing homes than men.
Local Population Growth & Decline Some areas of Rotherham have declined in population since 2001, notably areas of central Rotherham such as Canklow where housing has been demolished and there has been little new housing development. Wards with a population decline of over 5% are Rotherham East and Boston Castle. Small population declines are also evident in some smaller urban areas like Anston and Aston. Population growth has mainly occurred in small suburban towns or in rural areas. Wards which have increased in population by over 10% since 2001 are Silverwood and Rother Vale. More recent increases are evident in Bramley (Woodlaithes Village), Brampton, Swallownest, Laughton and Treeton, locations where there have been new housing developments.
5 Ethnic Composition Rotherham has a 94.0% White British population with notably fewer people in Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups than the English average. Based on a 2006 ONS estimate, 15,600 people or 6.2% of the population belong to BME groups in Rotherham compared to 15.8% in England. The largest local BME group is Pakistani and Kashmiri in origin with 5,400 people or 2.1% of the total population, compared to an average of 1.7% across England. Other groups include Chinese, Indian, Irish, Yemeni, Black African, Roma, Polish and Dual Heritage (mixed ethnicity – parents from different ethnic groups).
BME residents tend to live close to Rotherham Town Centre, with concentrations in areas such as Eastwood, Masbrough and Wellgate. However, some communities, notably Irish and Chinese people are more scattered across the Borough. Whilst the White British and Irish populations are stable, other ethnic groups are growing in number. Since 2001 the BME population has increased by 53%. The largest increase has been in the Black African community which has grown from 200 to 1,100, some of whom are Asylum Seekers and Refugees whilst others are highly skilled workers. The changing nature of Rotherham’s population is illustrated by increase in BME children in local schools, up from 5.3% in 2002 to 11% in 2008.
Religion The 2001 Census showed that 79.4% of Rotherham’s population described themselves as Christians, above the regional average of 73.1% and the English average of 71.7%. Far fewer people in the Borough belonged to minority religions (2.6%) than in England as a whole (6%) and those with no religion were also less at 10.2% compared to 14.6% in England. The largest minority religious group in Rotherham in 2001 were Muslims with 2.2% of the total population. A local estimate of religion based on 2006 ethnic groups suggests that minority religions have increased to 3.4%, with Muslims (2.8%), Hindus (0.2%) and Sikhs (0.2%) all showing increases.
Sexuality There are no local statistics on the number of people in Rotherham who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LBGT). Government estimates based on reliable survey evidence suggest that 6% of the UK population are LGBT which would equate to 15,200 people in Rotherham or 11,800 adults. The Transgender population is estimated at 0.8% nationally which would translate into 2,000 people or 1,600 adults in Rotherham.
Household Structure In the 2001 Census there were 102,273 households in Rotherham, a figure which has since increased to approximately 109,000. Over two thirds of households have no children (68%), slightly below the national average. Lone parents with dependent children make up 6.8% of all households, slightly above the 6.5% nationally. Almost one in seven households consist of a pensioner living alone (14.4%) the same proportion as the national average.
The Community Strategy identifies responding to the needs of Rotherham’s diverse and ageing population, as outlined above, to be a strategic priority.
6 Headline Facts: Population
Rotherham has a growing population of 253,400 (2007) which is projected to increase by 6% over the next 10 years to 269,500, broadly in line with national trends.
Rotherham has an ageing population, older people (50+) in the Borough account for 35% of the population, and those aged over 65 are expected to rise by 26% over the next 10 years.
Outward migration for work or study is a factor causing the number of young people to fall and their numbers are projected to reduce further.
Rotherham has a diverse mixture of people, with 15,600 or 6.2% being from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups. The Pakistani & Kashmiri community are the largest minority ethnic group with 2.1% of the population. Some neighbourhoods have over 25% of residents from BME communities.
Rotherham has a higher percentage of Christians than average at 79% and fewer people from minority religions, the largest of these being Muslim with an estimated 2.8% of the population in 2006.
Population growth has taken place in suburban areas, in locations where new housing has been built. Areas where the population is declining tend to be in central Rotherham and some smaller urban areas.
Deprivation
Introduction The Government’s Indices of Deprivation 2007 uses a wide range of indicators to produce nationally consistent measures of deprivation across seven different domains or themes. The indices have changed considerably since the first Index of Multiple Deprivation in 2000 and include measures such as low income, worklessness, poor qualifications, disability, crime,
housing affordability and air quality. Rotherham has improved its positionrd between the 2004th and 2007 Indices of Multiple Deprivation from 63 most deprived to 68 , still in the most deprived 20% of England.
The key domains or themes whichth are characteristic of deprivation innd Rotherham are Employment (58 most deprived),th Health & Disability (42 most deprived), and Education & Skills (27 most deprived). However,
Rotherham has average ndor low levels of deprivation in some other domains; Livingth Environment (182 most deprived),st Barriers to Housing & Services (340 most deprived), and Crime (151 most deprived). These ranks are out of the 354 districts in England.
7 Neighbourhood Deprivation Deprivation varies greatly across Rotherham and inequalities within the Borough are far greater than those between Rotherham and England. The highest levels of deprivation are concentrated in the central urban areas of Rotherham; the Town Centre, Masbrough, Eastwood, East Herringthorpe, East Dene, Canklow, Dalton and Thrybergh. There are also outlying pockets of deprivation within smaller communities such as East Maltby, Dinnington and Aston. These are areas within the most deprived 10% of England and cover 11% of the Borough population.
Areas which fall within the most deprived 10-20% of England are more widespread in Rotherham, covering 20% of the population. Areas of significant deprivation are Kimberworth Park, Thurcroft, East Maltby and smaller pockets in Brampton, West Melton, Wath, Parkgate, Rawmarsh, Flanderwell and North Anston.
Some parts of Rotherham have low levels of deprivation but only 5% of the Borough falls within the least deprived 20% of England. Areas with low deprivation tend to be in suburban and rural locations, mainly in the south of the Borough. The lowest levels of deprivation are found in Harthill, Brecks, Stag and parts of Aston, south Wickersley, Kiveton Park, South Anston and south Dinnington. One of the few pockets of low deprivation in the north of the Borough is Thorpe Hesley.
Deprivation affecting Communities of Interest Non-geographic communities often experience deprivation and inequalities of different types or to different degrees. Age is often an important factor in that children and older people are more likely to live in low income households than adults of working age.
Income deprivation affects 12,450 children aged 0-15 or 24.6% of children in the Borough (above the national average of 22.4%). Child poverty is particularly concentrated in areas with the highest multiple deprivation where rates are between 50% and 70%. However, child poverty can be as low as 5% or less in the areas with lowest deprivation. There is a strong relationship between child poverty and other issues such as low educational attainment, teenage conceptions and youth crime. Tackling child poverty is therefore important to make an impact in several priority areas.
Older people (over retirement age) are more likely than younger adults to be income deprived, 21.8% compared to 15.4% for working age adults; levels that are well above the English averages of 18.4% and 12.7% respectively. Pensioner poverty is far less concentrated than child poverty and significant numbers of older people on low incomes can be found in areas of low or moderate deprivation across the Borough.
Women make up 47% of resident workers but earn significantly less than men, being over-represented in low waged jobs. Many women of working age have low incomes because they are not in employment. 62% of Income Support claimants are women, including 96% of lone parent claimants.
8 Many BME communities are deprived in terms of income, employment, education, housing and health. This is particularly true for the Pakistani and Kashmiri community who had six times the average percentage of overcrowding and 52% of those aged 16-74 had no qualifications in 2001. Asylum Seekers and Refugees (mainly Black African, Middle Eastern or Asian), and the new Roma community (mainly Slovak) have settled since the 2001 Census but are known to experience high levels of multiple deprivation. Some BME communities, such as Indian and Chinese, show generally lower deprivation than average.
Disabled people are another large group who are more likely to be deprived than average as a high proportion are workless and depend on benefits. Disabled people tend to be less well educated and skilled than is typical which makes it harder for them to compete for jobs.
Headline Facts: Deprivation
th Deprivation in Rotherham is falling. Rotherham was the 48
most rddeprived local authorityth area in England in 2000, improving to 63 in 2004 and 68 in 2007.
In a national context, the key drivers of deprivation in Rotherham are health, education and employment. Employment has become a less significant factor over recent years.
32% of Rotherham’s population live in areas within the 20% most deprived in England.
Differences in deprivation levels are much greater within Rotherham than between Rotherham and the national average.
The main areas of high deprivation are in the central urban area of Rotherham.
Income deprivation is highest for children and child poverty is concentrated in the areas of highest deprivation.
The Economy
Introduction Employment deprivation (worklessness) is one of the main drivers of deprivation affecting Rotherham as measured by the Indices of Deprivation 2007. Despite dramatic improvements since the mid 1980s Rotherham is still ranked as the 58th most deprived of 354 Englishst districts on the Employment Domain, which is an improvement from 51 in 2004. The main reason for Rotherham’s high rate of worklessness are the large numbers who are long term sick, partly a reflection of the Borough’s industrial past. However, regeneration has made a great impact on Rotherham in recent years and the local economy has recovered strongly, creating jobs and prosperity.
9 Employment Over the last 10 years there has been a dramatic improvement in Rotherham’s employment rate, driven by a growing economy and associated job creation. Rotherham’s employment rate began to increase strongly during 2001, A trend which continued up to the end of 2005 when it reached the national average, but over the last two years it has deteriorated.
The employment rate in Rotherham has increased from 67.3% of the working age population in February 1997 to 72.0% at March 2008, compared to 73.7% regionally and 74.5% nationally. The rate of increase in Rotherham since 1997 has been faster than that across England as a whole, the region and other Neighbourhood Renewal areas. Overall, despite a fall over the last two years, Rotherham has significantly closed the gap with the national average in terms of employment. The number of Rotherham resident workers employed increased by approximately 8% or 9,000 between 2001 and 2008.
However, reflecting a national trend, there are strong indications that not all groups are benefiting equally from the improvement in employment opportunities across the Borough. In particular, employment rates among older people, lone parents, those with no qualifications, and BME women show poorer levels of progress. The Community Strategy seeks to maximise employment opportunities for all by supporting disadvantaged people into work. A related priority is to improve access and remove barriers to employment.
Unemployment and Worklessness Unemployment, as measured by Job Seeker Allowance claimants, has fallen dramatically from twice the national average to just 0.5% above the national average. The number unemployed in Rotherham peaked at 20,574 in September 1986 but was only 5,010 in October 2008. The unemployment claimant count has increased over the last year, rising from a low point of 3,555 in November 2007. The claimant count unemployment rate in October 2008 was 3.2%, above the regional rate of 3.0% and the GB rate of 2.6%.
The average number unemployed in 2007 was 3,900 according to the claimant count, but according to the Annual Population Survey (APS) was 6,100, a figure which takes account of people not entitled to benefits. The average APS unemployment rate for Rotherham in 2007 was 5.1% of the working age population, below the regional rate of 5.6% and 5.4% in England. The latest APS figure is for March 2008 at 5.4%, only slightly above the regional and GB averages of 5.3%.
Employment deprivation has a distribution similar to overall deprivation levels, with the most deprived areas being Thrybergh, East Herringthorpe, Eastwood, Canklow, East Dene and East Maltby. The areas with the highest levels of employment deprivation have 28% of all working age people long term sick or unemployed. However, even in the most affluent areas in Rotherham, around 5% of people are employment deprived.
10 Rates of worklessness decreased over the period February 2001 to February 2008, with a 7% reduction and a fall of just over 2,000. This is made up of a reduction in the numbers on long term sickness benefits (15,270 in 2001 reducing to 14,120 in 2008), and a larger fall in people on Job Seekers Allowance from 5,450 in 2001 to 3,910 in 2008. There has been progress in areas such as the Town Centre and Eastwood in reducing unemployment levels but long term sickness levels remain high in deprived areas.
Long Term Sickness Analysis of the number of people out of work on either unemployment (Jobseekers Allowance) or sickness benefits (Incapacity Benefit / Severe Disablement Allowance), shows that long term sickness is a much greater factor in worklessness than unemployment. Rotherham has 14,300 people claiming Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA), a reduction of 1,400 (9%) since 2003. Almost 61% of those on Incapacity Benefit and SDA have been claiming for more than 5 years. There are 3 people long term sick for every person claiming unemployment benefits.
Neighbourhood analysis shows that the ratio is much higher in some places with people on sickness benefits outnumbering those on unemployment benefits by as much as six to one. A Community Strategy priority is to support people on incapacity benefits to manage their condition and get back into employment where possible.
Low Income Levels of Income deprivation across Rotherham are relatively high, with the Borough ranked 70th most deprived of the 354 English Districts. As expected there is a close relationship between multiple deprivation and income deprivation. In parts of East Herringthorpe and Canklow half the population are affected by income deprivation, whilst in the least deprived areas only 4% of people are similarly affected.
Across Rotherham 28,450 people were receiving means-tested benefits - Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance or Pension Credit in 2008, which equates to 14% of all people aged over 16. This is made up mainly of Income Support claimants (10,270) and Pension Credit claimants (14,270). The numbers of people living in income deprivation has been fairly static since 2001, with a fall in younger age groups being matched by a small rise in the older age groups.
According to the 2001 Census, 11,825 dependent children lived in workless households (20.4% of all children in Rotherham). The Indices of Deprivation 2007 showed 24.7% of children under 16 were in low income households (workless or very low waged). In the most deprived areas, over half of children often live in poverty, reaching up to 70% in places. The Indices of Deprivation 2007 also showed that 18% of people over 60 in Rotherham live in very low income households but in the most deprived areas this can rise to over 50%.
11 Employment Trends and Sectors Between 1998 and 2006 the number of jobs located in Rotherham increased from 80,900 to 104,000, a 28.6% rise. This was the highest increase in Yorkshire & The Humber and amongst the 20 highest increases in the UK. Much of the rise is attributable to the development of large new employment sites such as Manvers.
Data for 2006 showed the public sector, financial/business services, manufacturing, and wholesale & retail to be the four largest employment sectors in Rotherham. In comparison with the UK, the biggest differences in employment were in financial / business sector and in manufacturing. Despite a decline in recent years 17.5% of Rotherham’s working population work in manufacturing compared to only 12.1% in the UK as a whole. The financial / business sector only employs 18.4% of Rotherham’s population (despite recent increases) compared to 21.6% in the UK.
Rotherham had a lower percentage of employees in managerial and professional roles, 7.2% below the Great Britain average. Rotherham had a relatively higher percentage of employees in sales & customer services, perhaps reflecting call centre operations. There was also a relatively higher percentage employed in process / plant / machine operatives, demonstrating Rotherham’s relatively high percentage of workers in manufacturing.
Commuting Patterns Census data shows that in 2001 Rotherham was a net exporter of workers, with 40% of resident workers commuting out, whilst the inflow of commuters was two thirds this size. Over 30% of those working in Rotherham commuted into the Borough, with Sheffield accounting for 11%, Doncaster 7%, Barnsley 5% and 8% from elsewhere. The local job deficit (resident workforce minus workplace jobs) in Rotherham has declined from 28,600 in 1998 to under 5,000 in 2006, showing that Rotherham workers are now far less reliant on jobs in other areas than they previously were.
There is a particularly strong relationship between Sheffield and Rotherham which are recognised as the basis for a single Travel To Work Area. The strength of the joint economy was confirmed by the Sheffield and Rotherham Economic Study in 2007. Sheffield offers a wide range of employment opportunities for Rotherham’s workforce. The 2001 Census travel to work statistics showed that only 60% of Rotherham’s resident workers actually worked in the Borough, whilst 22% or 23,200 people worked in Sheffield. Many people in Rotherham find it easy to get to work in Sheffield and there are established commuting patterns to the city centre and lower Don Valley from southern and western parts of Rotherham. In addition, Sheffield people often move from the city to suburban or rural locations in Rotherham but continue to work in Sheffield. Sheffield has a large number of highly qualified and skilled workers who provide a resource for Rotherham employers. Of the 10,000 people who travel to work from Sheffield to Rotherham, 46% work in professional or highly skilled occupations, compared to 34% of those who commute from Rotherham to Sheffield.
12 Earnings & Household Income Median average hourly earnings (for full time workers including overtime) in Rotherham were £10.17 in 2007, compared to £10.48 regionally and £11.45 in the UK. This represents a rise of 4.8% from the 2006 figure in Rotherham, well above the 2.1% rise in the region and UK. When comparing these earnings levels it is important to consider that the cost of living is lower than average in Rotherham. Men earned an average of £10.77 per hour compared to £9.07 for women. Women’s hourly pay was 84.2% of men’s pay in Rotherham, slightly lower than the regional figure of 85.1% and the GB figure of 86.1%. Weekly average full time earnings were £422.30 in Rotherham, compared to £459.00 nationally. Male earnings were 28% higher than female earnings in Rotherham, slightly above the national figure of 26.8%.
Historically the earnings of Rotherham’s employed population have been above the level of the earnings of employees working within Rotherham. People from Rotherham have taken advantage of higher earnings outside the borough, particularly Sheffield. This gap has shrunk over the last few years and workplace / residence based earnings are now broadly at similar levels - an indication that higher paid jobs have been created in Rotherham.
Average household income in Rotherham is estimated at £30,100 (2007) which is 88% of the Great Britain average of £34,166. Average household income varies greatly from £14,360 in the poorest 1% of the Borough, to £58,975 in the most affluent 1%, over four times higher.
Gross Value Added Gross Value Added (GVA) is an important measure in the estimation of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is a key indicator of the state of the whole economy. Official GVA estimates are only produced down to an area covering Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham. It is important to note that these estimates are on a workplace basis making comparison with cities such as Sheffield difficult because GVA is generally higher for cities than neighbouring towns. The estimate of GVA per head of population for Rotherham in 2006 was £15,643, compared to £15,586 in Yorkshire & the Humber, and £17,735 in the UK as a whole.
Over the period of 1996 – 2006 Rotherham’s economy grew at an average of 4.7% per annum compared to 2.7% regionally and 2.8% nationally. The growth was concentrated in the period from 2002 to 2005 which showed significant increases (largely related to employment growth) when compared to both regional and national growth. This has resulted in Rotherham’s GVA per capita as a percentage of UK GVA per capita increasing from 69% in 1994 to 88% in 2006.
VAT Registered Businesses The number of VAT registered businesses in Rotherham rose during 2006, with 160 more businesses registered at the end of 2006 compared to the previous year (4,940 at the end of 2005, 5,100 at year end 2006). This is an increase of 3.2% which compares to smaller increases both regionally (2.0%) and nationally (2.1%).
13 The mid 1990’s in Rotherham saw stagnation in the number of VAT registered units, however since 1999 there has been a steady increase with larger increases in the last few years. At the end of 2006 Rotherham had 19.6% more VAT registered businesses when compared to 10 years earlier. Yorkshire & the Humber saw a smaller increase of 17.1% while national stocks rose by 19.9% compared to 1996.
There were 251 VAT registered businesses per 10,000 of adult population at the end of 2006, and 25.6 newly VAT registered businesses per 10,000 of adult population in 2006. This compares to 397 / 37 businesses nationally which shows that Rotherham still has potential for improvement on this indicator. The Community Strategy identifies promoting business start ups, growth and inward investment as a priority.
House Prices House prices in Rotherham have increased over recent years but remain relatively low compared with most other areas. The average price of a house in Rotherham at April 2008 was £121,499, compared to £145,489 for the region and £183,626 for the whole of England and Wales. House prices in Rotherham increased at a faster rate overall than nationally after 2000 with annual rates of increase above 20% from 2003 to mid-2005.
In 2007/08 the rate of increase fell back to just 4.0% although this was still above national average of 2.7%. The average price of a house in Rotherham increased from 59.2% of the national average in April 2000 to 66.2% in April 2008, (83.5% of the Yorkshire & Humber average). In common with most areas, house prices began to fall in the second half of 2008, with a 2% reduction recorded in September 2008, compared to the previous year. This reduction is well below the national average fall of 8% and the regional average of 7.7%. The average house price for Rotherham in September 2008 was £123,083 compared to £135,448 for the region and £168,814 for England and Wales (Land Registry).
House Price to Earnings Ratio Average earnings increases in England and Wales have been far below the rate for house price increases over recent years, which has resulted in a large rise in the ratio of house prices to earnings. In Rotherham, earnings rose at a similar rate to house prices between 1999 and 2000, with house price inflation only beginning to outstrip wage inflation from 2001.
Between 2000 and 2007 the ratio rose from 4.3 to 7.4 in England and Wales, while in Rotherham the ratio rose from 2.8 to 5.3 over the same period, with the biggest increases seen since 2003. The ratio fell slightly in the last year due to smaller increases in property prices in Rotherham and housing remains relatively more affordable in Rotherham than nationally.
14 Investment in Rotherham During the period April 2007 to March 2008, the Rotherham Investment & Development Office (RiDO) recorded investment in the Borough and job- creation by 563 companies. The majority of these companies were new companies with 4 being from overseas - Chinese, Indian and Italian. A total of 392 companies were new start-up operations and 72 of the companies were national expansions / relocations new to Rotherham but already set up elsewhere in the UK. Rotherham based companies accounted for 68 expansions and relocations within the borough. Labour market problems are most commonly cited by firms in Rotherham as inhibiting business growth. These include skill shortages, difficulty attracting staff to the region and regulations / red tape.
Rotherham town centre has experienced a gradual decline in trade and investment since the opening of the nearby Parkgate and Meadowhall shopping centres. Without targeted public sector investment this decline would have continued but the Rotherham Renaissance Masterplan Project provides a real opportunity to reverse this trend. This initiative to stimulate regeneration and renewal reflects the Community Strategy priority to revitalise the town centre.
Internet Access A recent local survey (2008) found that 67% of Rotherham residents have access to the internet, of whom 59% use it at home. E-mail is used by 85% of internet users so about 57% of Rotherham adults make use of e-mail. 12% of residents can access the internet but don’t use it and 17% have no access at all. Those with no access are more likely to be aged over 65 (51% have no access) and be social housing tenants (44% have no access). Public agencies need to take into account the large minority of residents who don’t have access to or use the internet, especially as they are more likely to be disadvantaged and in need of services.
Rotherham’s Progress Successful regeneration and business development initiatives have transformed Rotherham’s economy over the last ten years. Economic activity rates have risen since 2001 although they have stabilised recently. The employment rate has increased substantially since 1998, mainly though a reduction in unemployment.
Claimant unemployment in August 2008 was 3.0%, just above the national average . Rotherham’s Gross Value Added per capita and job growth have far exceeded national and regional growth rates. VAT registrations per capita are still relatively low but have been rising since 1996. Average earnings are below average but increased by 4.8% in 2007, well above the national rate. Qualification levels of young people and adults have been increasing faster than the national average which will help to address local skill shortages.
15 Headline Facts: Economy
Rotherham’s employment rate has increased over the last ten years, at a higher rate than the national and regional average.
The number of jobs located in Rotherham increased by 23,100 (28.6%) between 1998 and 2006.
The number of VAT registered businesses increased by 3.2% in 2006, well above the rate seen regionally and nationally.
The number of people in employment increased by 7,000 (6.7%) between 2001 and 2007.
Unemployment has fallen relative to the national average but began rising again in 2008.
Average hourly earnings have risen by 4.8% from 2006 to 2007 compared to 2.1% in UK but remain below the national average.
Health & Illness
Introduction Health deprivation is one of the major drivers contributing to high levels of deprivation in the Borough. Rotherham is ranked as the 42nd most deprived of the 354 English Districts on the Health Domain of the Indices of Deprivation 2007 (only levels of Education deprivation are ranked higher for Rotherham). High levels of long term sickness and disability are largely responsible for this level of health deprivation.
Major changes in health such as improving life expectancy are typically the result of a number of factors operating over long timescales. These usually take time to show in statistics which means that there is often a lag between wider social and economic improvements and their impact on health.
The health of people in Rotherham is generally worse than the English average. Deaths from smoking and early deaths from cancer, estimates of binge drinking, poor diet, and obesity in adults are all worse than the England averages. There are notable health inequalities within Rotherham by gender and deprivation. For example, men from the most deprived 10% of Rotherham have six years shorter life expectancy than those in the least deprived 10%.
Over the last ten years, all age all cause mortality rates and early death rates from cancer have decreased, but remain higher than the England average. Early death rates from heart disease and stroke have fallen faster than the averages for England. On average, there are about 500 deaths each year from smoking in Rotherham. Smoking in pregnancy and smoking related deaths are above average, but the estimated percentage of adults that smoke is similar to the England average. Rates of breast feeding, teenage pregnancy, and under 15-year-olds 'not in good health' are all worse than the averages for England.
16 Health Deprivation There is a strong relationship between general levels of deprivation and levels of health deprivation and the most deprived areas tend to have the poorest health. Male life expectancy in Rotherham’s most deprived ward, Rotherham East, is 5.4 years lower than in the least deprived ward, Sitwell. Female life expectancy is higher and shows less marked local variation (2.8 years lower in Rotherham East than in Sitwell). The rate of total hospital admissions is over a third higher for people living in the most deprived 20% of Rotherham compared with people in the least deprived 20%. These examples illustrate a clear relationship between health inequalities and multiple deprivation.
Teenage conception data is only available for Rotherham’s pre-2004 wards and tends to follow a pattern linked to deprivation. Teenage pregnancy rates are highest in the deprived Central Ward at 93.1 per 1,000 females aged 15– 17. The lowest rate was in the far less deprived Bramley, Ravenfield and Wickersley ward, at 27.9 per 1,000 females aged 15-17. Similar patterns are evident with the proportions of people with long term limiting illness, and permanent sickness or disability. The most deprived areas appear to have made some progress in terms of reducing inequalities in teenage pregnancies. However the data at small area level is often not reliable enough to show whether enough progress has been made in the most deprived areas .
At a small area level, 154 out of the 166 Super Output Areas in Rotherham have worse health than the English average using the Indices of Deprivation 2007 Health Domain, with 77 SOAs in the most deprived 20% across England. It is clear that there are many areas with significant health problems across the Borough. As with other indicators of deprivation, health deprivation measured by the Indices of Deprivation 2007 is concentrated in urban areas, particularly central Rotherham, parts of Maltby, Aston, Dinnington, Rawmarsh, Swinton, Wath and Greasbrough. Pockets outside the main urban centres are also highlighted in Treeton and West Melton.
Life Expectancy Male and female life expectancy across Rotherham is below the English average for both males and females. In 2004-06 male life expectancy was 75.8 years in Rotherham compared to 77.3 years in England. Female life expectancy for the same period was 80.4 years in Rotherham compared to 81.6 years in England. Current male life expectancy is higher than deprived areas elsewhere in England, and female life expectancy is broadly similar to other deprived areas. Males can now expect to live an additional 2.2 years and females an extra 2.6 years compared with 10 years ago.
Although good progress has been made in increasing life expectancy since 1996, Rotherham people can still expect to live about a year less than the national average. Life expectancy is strongly linked to deprivation, particularly for males. For males living in the most deprived 20% of Rotherham, life expectancy is 4.4 years below the Borough average and for females living in the same areas, life expectancy is 3 years below average. The Community Strategy aims to increase life expectancy by a reduction in mortality from major diseases including cancers and reducing infant mortality.
17 Death Rates Rotherham has a Standardised Mortality Ratio of 108 (England = 100) for 2006 showing that death rates are above the national average. Deaths from coronary heart disease under the age of 75 in Rotherham have more than halved in the last 10 years, from 124 per 1,000 population in 1996 to 56 per 1,000 in 2006. After many years of having high death rates from heart disease Rotherham is almost at the national average. Moreover these dramatic improvements are occurring at least as quickly in the most deprived parts of Rotherham as in other parts of the Borough.
Cancer mortality rates have fluctuated since 2001 and were 12% above the national average in 2006. Work previously undertaken by Rotherham PCT has highlighted that female deaths linked to smoking increased whilst those for males reduced.
Teenage Pregnancy Over the period 1996 to 2005 Rotherham demonstrated gradual progress in reducing teenage conception rates. In the period 1999 to 2005, conceptions for girls aged 15-17 fell from 58 per 1,000 to 49.5, closing the gap with England from 13.2 to 8.2. However, in 2006 the under 18 conception rate increased to 53.9 and the gap with England increased to 13.5. Although this is a cause for concern, 2006 may prove to be an abnormal year as it goes against the long term trend and the trend in areas similar to Rotherham.
The most deprived Census Wards are in central Rotherham and show the highest levels of teenage pregnancies. The rate across the former Central, Herringthorpe and Park wards is 70% above the Borough average and dropped only slightly between 2002 and 2004, in line with the Borough trend. The Community Strategy aims to improve sexual health and reduce teenage pregnancy. Whilst the long term trend in teenage pregnancies has been downward, progress has not been enough to meet the national and local target of a 50% reduction between 1998 and 2010.
Disability Benefits In Rotherham Borough, there are 41,470 people entitled to disability related benefits or 16.4% of the population (May 2008). This is well above the English average of 11.8% and indicates a high rate of long term sickness and disability in the local population. Rotherham has a particularly high number of people entitled to Disability Living Allowance (DLA), rising from 17,000 in 2002 to 19,600 in 2008, a 15% increase. 7.7% of the Borough population are entitled to DLA (well above the 4.7% in England and 5.4% regionally). Attendance Allowance is claimed by 7,520 people, 18.3% of all people over 65 in the Borough (slightly higher than the 17.4% in England).
In the most deprived fifth of Rotherham, 13.6% of people need care (are on DLA or Attendance Allowance), almost double the percentage in the least deprived areas (7.2%). At SOA level, the proportion of people needing care varies from 19.6% in East Dene East to 4.2% in Thorpe Hesley East. There is no evidence that the most deprived areas across Rotherham are closing the gap with the Borough average in terms of people needing care.
18 Limiting Long Term Illness and the Provision of Unpaid Care In the 2001 Census, 22.4% (55,610) of people in Rotherham stated they had a limiting long term illness compared to 19.9% for England. 41.4% or 42,384 households in Rotherham had one or more persons with a limiting long term illness, compared with 33.6% for England. The percentage of people stating their general health was ‘not good’ in Rotherham was 12.1% in 2001 compared to 9.0% for England. General health refers to the period over the 12 months prior to the 2001 Census.
In Rotherham 30,284 people,12.2% of the population, provided unpaid care in the 2001 Census, compared to 9.9% for England. Overall 3.0% of Rotherham’s population provide 50 hours or more of unpaid care per week, compared to the English average of 2.0%. Whilst there are relatively high numbers of carers in Rotherham, they are not concentrated in deprived areas and are widely distributed across all areas of the Borough.
Rotherham’s Progress Rotherham has a long history of poor heath and heath indicators are often slow to respond to improvements in living standards and health initiatives. Life expectancy has increased steadily although it remains below the national average, reflecting long term health problems, particularly in the older population. This is also reflected in the rising number of people on Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance .
Rotherham has made real progress in some key areas such as death rates for coronary heart disease which have shown a 55% reduction over the last 10 years. Other issues have proved more difficult to tackle, such as teenage conceptions which have increased recently despite the long term trend being gradually downward.
However, the levels of ill-health in Rotherham continue to be generally above the national average and improving health and narrowing health inequalities continues to be a major challenge for the NHS and Council.
Headline Facts: Health & Illness
Life expectancy for both males and females have improved but remain below the national average.
The death rate from coronary heart disease has more than halved over the last 10 years and the rates in the most deprived areas have reduced at a similar rate
The teenage pregnancy rate has reduced from 58 to 53.9 per 1,000 since 1999 but remains above the national average.
• Rotherham has a much higher proportion of people with limiting long term illness and on disability benefits than the national average.
19 Education & Skills
Introduction Overall levels of educational deprivation are high in Rotherham according to theth Indices of Deprivation 2007 Education & Skills Domain. Rotherham is the 27 most deprived district in England (within the most deprived 8% of areas) and 28% of local neighbourhoods (Super Output Areas) fall within the most deprived 10% of England. Very high levels of education and skills deprivation are found in parts of East Herringthorpe, Rawmarsh, East Dene, Canklow and Thrybergh which are all in the most deprived 2% of England using the Education and Skills Domain.
GCSE Attainment GCSE attainment can be used as a general indicator of educational performance as it is externally assessed and comes at the end of compulsory schooling. Attainment of 5 or more GCSE’s at grades A*-C in Rotherham has been increasing at a rate which has exceeded national improvements. For pupils in Rotherham schools, the percentage has risen from 41.6% in 2002 to 54.6% in 2007, although this is still below the English average of 62%. For pupils resident in Rotherham and attending local schools, 54.0% of pupils achieved GCSE grade A*-C. In 2007, 39% of pupils achieved 5 or more GCSE’s including English and Maths, below the national average of 46.8%.
The graph below shows Rotherham’s progress in improving GCSE attainment between 1994 and 2007. Whilst attainment in Rotherham has remained lower than the English average, the gap has narrowed slightly from 8.5% to 7.4%. In 1994, Rotherham’s attainment was 80% of the national average but had reached 88% of the national average by 2007. Good progress nationally has made it harder to close the gap and it should be noted that Rotherham’s 2007 GCSE attainment was higher than the English average three years earlier.
The Community Strategy aims to ensure a high quality of education and raise attainment across the Borough for all children and young people.
20 Percentage of Pupils Achieving 5 + GCSE's Grades A*-C
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0% 7 8 1 2 5 6 / 9 6 / 9 0 0 / 0 / 0 4 / 0 / 0 8 7 / 9 0 1 / 0 5 / 0 9 6 9 / 2 0 0 0 0 4 0 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 1 9 9 4 / 9 5 1 9 9 5 1 1 1 9 9 8 / 9 9 9 2 2 2 0 0 2 / 0 3 2 0 0 3 2 2 2 0 0 6 / 0 7 2 0 0 7 9 1
Rotherham England
Neighbourhood Inequalities There are significant disparities in educational attainment between different wards in the Borough. In 2007, the percentage of children achieving 5 or more GCSE A*-C grades was lowest in Maltby, at 38.6% (15.4 percentage points below the borough average) and highest in Wales with 70.2%. The percentage of children achieving 5 or more GCSE A*-C grades including English and Maths was lowest in the most deprived ward, Rotherham East at 26.8% and highest in Holderness at 55.9%. The link between educational attainment and deprivation can be clearly shown using 2007 GCSE attainment data for areas (SOAs) in the most deprived fifth of the Borough, compared to areas less deprived.
IMD bands in Rotherham GCSE 5+ A*- C Passes 2002-2007 2002 (%) 2004 (%) 2007 (%) Change (%) Most Deprived 20% 22.2 25.8 37.0 14.8 20 - 40% 32.4 33.4 45.6 13.2 40 - 60% 46.2 44.3 54.0 7.8 60 - 80% 53.6 57.6 64.0 10.4 Least Deprived 20% 61.1 64.7 74.5 13.4
The table above shows a significant increase in GCSE A* - C attainment across all deprivation bands. The least deprived and most deprived areas have both experienced the largest increase in GCSE passes since 2002. The most deprived areas have had the largest increase in attainment, narrowing the gap with the average from 24% to 17%. However, the least deprived areas have also improved at a similar rate and the more average parts of Rotherham have improved the least.
21 Young People’s Education & Training Rotherham’s Community Strategy sets out to increase the number of young people in education, employment and training. In 2008, 88% of 16 to 19 year olds in Rotherham were in Education, Employment or Training, an increase from 84.5% in 2005. The proportion of 16 to 19 year olds who were Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) was 8.8% and a further 3.4% were not accounted for.
Rotherham has achieved a long term reduction in the number of 16 to 19 year olds who are NEET. Although the percentage of NEETS at 8.8% is below the regional average of 9.7%, it remains above the national average of 7.7% (July 2008). NEETS are concentrated in the most deprived areas of Rotherham with 43% living in the most deprived 24% of wards.
As NEET numbers have reduced, the numbers of young people going onto Further and Higher Education have increased, and the numbers going into employment without training has reduced. Access to Higher Education and graduations across Rotherham has improved over the last ten years, increasing by 3.7% during the period 2002 to 2007.
Adult Skills & Qualification Levels Adult qualification levels are improving but are relatively low in Rotherham. According to the 2001 Census, 37% of adults aged 16-74 in Rotherham had no qualifications (compared with 29% across England and 33% in the region). Qualification levels are particularly poor for deprived neighbourhoods, some minority ethnic groups such as Pakistanis & Kashmiris, and those aged over 50 years. The Census showed a clear link between age and the proportion of people with no qualifications – 70% of all people aged 60 to 74 have no qualifications, compared with just 18% of people aged 25 to 34.
According to the Annual Population Survey in 2007, 17.9% of the working age population in Rotherham had no qualifications, notably higher than both the national figure of 13.1% and the Yorkshire and Humber figure of 14.5%.
Rotherham is only slightly lower than Great Britain in terms of the percentage of working age people with NVQ level 1 qualifications (76.2% Rotherham; 78.1% Nationally). However, the gap widens when comparing higher level qualifications, as shown on the graph below:
The Community Strategy aims to increase the employability of working age adults, by reducing the number of adults lacking essential skills around using computers, reading, writing and maths. Participation in adult learning, particularly in disadvantaged communities will be maximised.
22 Working Age NVQ Qualifications
80 70 60 50 Rotherham (%) 40 GB (%) 30 20 10 0 NVQ4 and NVQ3 and NVQ2 and NVQ1 and above above above above
Rotherham’s Progress Rotherham has made good progress in raising the percentage of young people attaining 5+ GCSEs grades at A*-C by 46% since 1997, above the national rate of improvement. For Key Stage 2 attainment, the average percentage with Level 4 or above increased from 60% in 1997 to 77.3% in 2007.
The proportion of young people entering Higher Education in Rotherham has increased steadily and overall the proportion with positive outcomes after leaving school is now over 90%. There has been some success in reducing those aged 16 to 19 who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEETS).
There remains concern about the low levels of attainment and qualifications in the most deprived areas and for some groups such as older men and some ethnic minority communities.
23 Headline Facts: Education & Skills
GCSE performance in Rotherham has improved with a 2.4 percentage point increase between 2006 and 2007. The gap between Rotherham and the national average has narrowed over recent years.
There are significant differences in GCSE attainment between wards in Rotherham, ranging from 70% with 5 or more at A*-C in Wales to only 39% with 5 more A*-C in Maltby.
In recent years there has been an increase in the number of school leavers entering education, training or employment. The gap between national and local figures has been reduced from 3.8% in 1999 to 1.1% in 2008.
The proportion of people of working age with qualifications is lower than the national average with the gap being highest at NVQ4 (degree) level.
There has been an increase in the number of Rotherham students entering higher education both locally and nationally.
Crime, Housing & Living Environment
Introduction Safety and the living environment have a major impact on quality of life for everyone in Rotherham and are vital factors for liveability. However, in a national context these are not major drivers behind deprivation in Rotherham. Relative to other parts of the region and England, levels of deprivation on these measures are not generally high. However, problems relating to housing, crime and wider liveability issues still have an impact on individual lives and on particular neighbourhoods.
The Government agenda has increasingly focused on liveability which includes the physical and social environment, housing and neighbourhood factors. These affect the willingness of local people and employers to stay in an area and the willingness of new people and employers to move into an area. Examples include housing quality, availability and affordability, crime and anti-social behaviour, and the quality of the physical environment (including green spaces and air quality).
24 Housing Housing has a direct impact on people’s quality of life and on the willingness of people to remain in, move to, or leave an area. Housing related issues include quality, availability and affordability. Overcrowding, lack of basic amenities, inadequate heating or lack of insulation contributes to poor health, and social or economic exclusion. The Community Strategy sets out to improve the quality, decency standard and affordability of housing in the Borough.
The Indices of Deprivation 2007 do not contain an explicit housing domain . Housing issues are divided between the Living Environment Indoors sub- domain and the Barriers to Housing sub-domain. Rotherham seems to lack deprivation on both measures, indicating that Housing issues are not a major driver in terms of deprivation levels in the Borough relative to the English average.
The 2001 Census shows that Rotherham had lower levels of overcrowding and households lacking central heating than both England and the Yorkshire & Humber region. However, overcrowding is much higher for some minority ethnic groups than the Borough average. Whilst 95% of households have central heating, not everyone can afford to take advantage of this and there are an estimated 13,300 people in fuel poverty. In terms of vacant housing, Rotherham has broadly similar levels to England and the region.
Overall, it appears that housing standards and amenities in the Borough are fairly good, and that access to housing is relatively good in most areas . The condition of housing is less well documented but there is evidence that most of the council housing stock is improving to decent home standard. Levels of non-decent Local Authority housing are decreasing across the Borough, with 50% of all council properties estimated to be in non-decent condition in 2007 compared with 81% in 2005. This increase in decent council properties is due to the 2010 RMBC housing scheme of improvements which resulted in 2,350 properties (13.8% of stock) brought up to standard in 2006/07.
There is no evidence of a link between deprivation levels and the proportion of non-decent council housing. However, council housing is concentrated in deprived areas which thus have a high proportion of all non-decent council housing. The Indices of Deprivation 2007 suggest that non-decent private housing is concentrated in the most deprived areas of central Rotherham such as Masbrough, the Town Centre and Eastwood. There is also evidence of older housing in poor condition in rural areas such as Wentworth.
In Rotherham there is a strong relationship between household overcrowding and overall deprivation, with levels of overcrowding increasing with deprivation levels. Residents in the most deprived areas of Rotherham are over six times more likely to live in overcrowded conditions than people living in the least deprived areas. Overcrowding for the Pakistani and Kashmiri community is also much higher than for the White British population. To a lesser extent, housing in more deprived areas is also more likely to lack central heating, and to be vacant.
25 House prices in Rotherham averaged £123,083 in September 2008, over double the average price in 2001. Despite this long term rise, houses in Rotherham remain significantly cheaper than the regional average of £135,448 for Yorkshire and Humber, and £168,814 for England and Wales (Land Registry).
A local survey in 2008 showed that 46% of households had lived at the same address for 10 years or more and 71% had been living in the same area for over 10 years. When asked about the condition of their home, 20% said that it was in need of some repair.
Crime and Community Safety Crime can have a severe impact on individuals and communities, even where crime rates are low. Areas with high crime rates are often less attractive as places to live, work and socialise, and can be less attractive to businesses as places in which to operate. Fear of crime often has a greater impact on people’s quality of life than actual experience of crime and the two are often unrelated. The Community Strategy seeks to reduce anti-social behaviour, alcohol related crime, domestic violence and the fear and perception of crime.
Measurement of crime is possible at a small area level using local recorded crime information, however, measurement of fear of crime is currently restricted to higher geographical levels as it can only be measured in national surveys (e.g. British Crime Survey) or local surveys with a relatively small sample size. Fear of crime has been identified as a problem in Rotherham as is the case in most other towns and cities.
Rotherham does not appear particularly deprived based on the Indices of Deprivation 2007 Crime Domain, being ranked 120th most deprived of all 354 English Districts. Although the overall crime rate is above average, the incidence of many crime types are below regional and national averages.
The charts below show Rotherham compared to the other South Yorkshire Local Authorities and England across several types of recorded crime in 2007/08. Rotherham has lower rates of crime than Sheffield and Doncaster but has higher rates than Barnsley and the National figure. The figures do not show the total amount of crime but the ratio per thousand households or population.
26 Violence Against A Person Criminal Damage
England 17.8 England 19.1
Sheffield 18.1 Sheffield 28.5
Doncaster 22.8 Doncaster 28.9
Barnsley 16.2 Barnsley 23.9
Rotherham 18.1 Rotherham 25.9
0 5 10 15 20 25 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Per 1000 Population Per 1000 Population
Burglary Drug Offences
England 10.9 England 4.2
Sheffield 16.4 Sheffield 2.9
Doncaster 18.8 Doncaster 4.4
Barnsley 10.5 Barnsley 3.4
Rotherham 12.4 Rotherham 3.1
0 5 10 15 20 0 1 2 3 4 5 Per 1000 Households Per 1000 Population
Offences Against Vehicles All Crimes
England 12.2 England 64.2
Sheffield 20.5 Sheffield 86.4
Doncaster 19.4 Doncaster 94.2
Barnsley 13.7 Barnsley 67.6
Rotherham 15.5 Rotherham 75.0
0 5 10 15 20 25 0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0 Per 1000 Population Per 1000 Population
Overall it is apparent that crime levels are not particularly high across Rotherham in either a South Yorkshire or a national context. Additionally there is evidence of falls in the two crime types with the highest levels relative to England as a whole, namely burglary and vehicle crime. Domestic burglary has halved from 25.6 per 1,000 households in 2002/03 to 12.4 per 1,000 households in 2007/08, although this is still above the national average. Vehicle crime has fallen by 35% since 2005 and is at its lowest level in 18 years.
The highest crime rates across Rotherham tend to be in the most deprived areas, mainly in central urban neighbourhoods such as East Dene, Clifton, Masbrough, Dalton and Thybergh. There are also pockets of high crime in smaller towns including Maltby and Swinton. There is evidence that these areas are seeing correspondingly large falls in crime rates, including recent falls in burglary and vehicle crime.
27 Despite the reduction in many types of crime and the low levels of crime in many areas, fear of crime and anti social behaviour remains high across Rotherham. The latest survey (2008) shows that 47% of residents think that crime is a problem in their area and 57% think that anti social behaviour is a problem. Walking alone after dark is thought to be unsafe by 48% or residents and 72% are concerned about being a victim of crime. Although crime rates vary greatly across the Borough, fear of crime is consistently high in all areas.
The Outdoor Living Environment The Indices of Deprivation Environment Domain is divided into the Outdoors and Indoors Living Environments, the latter relating to housing issues. The Outdoor Living Environment is measured using indicators of air quality and traffic accident involving injury. These indicate a generally good and improving environment, with some concerns. The Community Strategy aims to improve the local environmental quality of Rotherham’s neighbourhoods.
The number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents in Rotherham was 641 per 100 000 population in 2007, compared to 519 in Great Britain. Poor air quality due to industrial, traffic, domestic and other pollution affects communities in central Rotherham although lower levels predominate in the rest of the Borough. Rotherham has achieved a significant increase in household waste recycling, rising from 4% in 1999/2000 to 14.9% in 2003/04 and reaching 28.3% in 2006/07.
Rotherham’s Progress Rotherham offers a good quality built and natural environment, and a good quality of life. This is one of the Borough’s greatest strengths and makes it an attractive place to live, work and visit.
There has been real progress in reducing some key types of crime, notably domestic burglaries and vehicle crime. Domestic burglaries have fallen by 54% since 2002/03, to below the national average. Crime rates are relatively low in most parts of Rotherham and in the high crime areas, crime rates are falling faster than average.
The housing market in Rotherham recovered rapidly after the problems of stagnation which affected the Borough in the 1990s. House prices have doubled in the last 5 years and the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder is starting to improve conditions in the remaining areas of low demand. Recent falls in house price are part of a national slowdown in the housing market.
Housing amenities are generally good in Rotherham compared to the national average and the proportion of non-decent council homes has been reducing rapidly.
28 Headline Facts: Cr ime, Environment & Housing
Rotherham has a relatively good built and natural environment.
Housing standards are generally good although 50% of council housing does not yet meet the decent homes standard.
House prices have doubled since 2001 but remain relatively low compared to the national average.
Rotherham the second lowest crime rate in South Yorkshire.
Domestic Burglary has halved since 2002/03.
Inclusion and Cohesion
Introduction The Council and partner agencies are committed to engaging with communities, encouraging public involvement, consultation and empowerment.
Civic Engagement in Rotherham The Voluntary and Community sector plays a vital role in fostering community involvement, civic engagement and local pride. The Rotherham Quality of Life Survey 2006 showed that 18% of residents were involved with a local voluntary or community organisation.
Supporting greater opportunities for local people to participate in the Council’s decision making processes and in other decision making forums continues to be a high priority for Rotherham Council and Partnership. The Council supports parish councils, a Youth Cabinet, Voluntary Action Rotherham, Rotherham Ethnic Minority Alliance and a wide range of other community organizations which play a vital role in fostering community involvement and civic pride. The Community Strategy aims to support a thriving, sustainable, diverse Voluntary and Community Sector.
The 2006 BPVI General Survey asked residents about the performance of council services and allowed people to give their views about their local area. The survey found that 26% of residents were satisfied with their opportunities to participate in influencing decisions affecting their local area compared with 29% who did not. Older people were much more likely to say they could influence decisions than younger people with 42% of the over 65s satisfied with opportunities for local participation in decisions. This trend is also reflected in voting as older people are much more likely to vote in local elections than younger people.
29
Community Cohesion Community cohesion is about how well integrated society is and how people from different ethnic, cultural or social backgrounds relate to each other. To promote community cohesion there is a need to celebrate diversity and encourage people from different communities to interact and help each other. The Community Strategy promotes understanding, respect & a sense of belonging within communities and the Borough.
The BVPI Survey found that 61% of people who expressed an opinion thought that people from different backgrounds get on well together in Rotherham. Older people were more likely to agree (78%) and young people (18-24) were least likely to agree (48%). The level of community cohesion indicated is below the national average and there is clearly scope for improvement. The Community Strategy therefore aims to promote understanding, respect and belonging within communities and the Borough.
The Council has developed a good understanding of the needs and priorities of the many communities of interest in the Borough and has developed a series of profiles of a number of such communities. Profiles published so far are for Older People, Irish Community, Women, Pakistani Community, Chinese Community and Indian Community. These in-depth profiles are intended to shape and inform local services and policies.
Headline Facts: Inclusion and Cohesion
The number of residents actively involved with a local community or voluntary was 18% 2006.
In 2006, 26% of people surveyed agreed that they could influence decisions affecting their local area.
In 2006, 61% of people who expressed an opinion when surveyed agreed that their local area is a place where people from different backgrounds get on well together.
Sources for State of the Borough
• BPVI General Survey 2006. • Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion, Study of Deprivation in Rotherham, October 2005 • Indices of Deprivation 2007 (CLG) • Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits data • 2001 Census • Office for National Statistics (ONS) & NOMIS • Regional Econometric Model (REM) (Experian Business Strategies) • Land Registry house prices
30 • Quality of Life Survey 2006 • Rotherham Primary Care Trust • Rotherham MBC Economic & Development Service • Rotherham in Focus 2005, Economic and Development Services (RMBC) • Rotherham MBC Neighbourhood Services • Rotherham Community Safety Team • Rotherham MBC & PCT – Rotherham Reachout
Acknowledgements
The following people or teams have assisted the Corporate Research Team, Chief Executive’s Office in preparing this document: • Neil Rainsforth, Rotherham MBC, Economic & Development Service • Rotherham Community Safety Team • Marcus Williamson, Rotherham Primary Care Trust • Rotherham MBC Children & Young People’s Service Data Team
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