Ayrshire Post

WE MUST CHANGE WAY WE WORK TO TACKLE POVERTY

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The Leader of South Ayrshire Council has told The Post that the authority must change the way they deliver services to the most deprived people living in the area.

Last week’s Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivatio­n highlighte­d Wallacetow­n and surroundin­g areas as a deprivatio­n“hotspot.”

The report shows that the area’s deprivatio­n levels has grown since the last report in 2016, now placing it as the 22nd most deprived area in Scotland.

And Council Leader Douglas Campbell reckons they need to listen more to the concerns of residents in the area and come up with a way in which improvemen­ts can be made to assist their life chances going forward.

Cllr Campbell, who is also chair of the The Community Planning

Board which makes decisions on priorities, strategic outcomes and objectives, said: “On Thursday, January 23 the Board considered in detail the SiMD informatio­n for the Wallacetow­n community, which has the highest concentrat­ed deprivatio­n in South Ayrshire and probably all of Ayrshire.

“The board heard from the local head teacher at Newton Primary a range of concerns that she and her staff have to tackle on a daily basis and from NHS Public Health.

“The Partnershi­p resolved that, as public sector bodies, we have to change the way we deliver services to this community, to listen more to the lived experience of people living in Wallacetow­n and to effect change that will improve the life chances of residents.”

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Leader Douglas Campbell
Change needed Leader Douglas Campbell

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