Page 50 - Minutes of meeting
P. 50

Barrow – A Tale of Two Towns


   Despite recent economic growth, Barrow has the largest
   concentration of worklessness, people with poor skills and health,

   and poor housing in Cumbria. Parts of the town are significantly
   affected by high levels of deprivation which feature within the 10%
   most deprived nationally, including concentrations in parts of the
   Town Centre, Hindpool, Ormsgill, Barrow Island and Abbotsmead.
   As explored within this report, Barrow is characterised by acute
   deprivation and socio-economic challenges, including:


   •    Population decline and a net exporter of young people


   •    A dearth of higher level skills which contribute to a significant
        skills gap undermining business competitiveness


   •    Generational worklessness and barriers to labour market
        participation


   •    Significant health inequalities characterised by lower levels of life
        expectancy, child health issues including obesity and teenage
        conception, and adult health issues including alcohol related
        harm


   •    Poor housing conditions, particularly amongst the private sector
        stock


   The Town Deal will play a crucial role in facilitating an inclusive
   economy in Barrow.



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