Deprivation is getting worse
Shock new figures on poverty hotspots
Deprivation in the Ayr North Habour, Wallace town and Newton South Area has got worse over the last four years, a report has revealed.
According to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ( SIMD) the area went from being the 64th most deprived area in 2016 to Scotland’s 22nd most deprived in 2020.
Along with the publication last week of the index, there’s an interactive map which shows distinct ‘ hotspots’ where the most deprivation in the county exists.
They include: Ayr North Harbour and Wallacetown and Newton South, Lochside, Braehead and Whitletts, Dalmilling, Ayr South Harbour and Town Centre and Craigie areas.
Castlehill and Kincaidston are also highlighted on the interactive map.
In terms of Prestwick, the Heathfield area shows up as one of the deprived areas.
In 2016, it was adjudged to have been the 1447th most deprived area in Scotland.
Four years later it is now the 1263rd most deprived.
Parts of Girvan are also highlighted in the index with areas such as Ailsa and Glendoune.
And the Muirhead area of Troon is also highlighted.
In 2016, Muirhead was ranked 1383 in the Most Deprived areas but four years on it has a new ranking of 1087.
The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation looks into a variety of indicators when compiling the stats.
Those indicators include things such as income, employment , access to education, health, access to services, crime and housing.
Parts of Maybole also show up on the hotspots.
A council spokesperson said: “At South Ayrshire Council we continue to work with partners to tackle deprivation in all its forms.
“The latest release of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ( SIMD 2020) shows that South Ayrshire’s local share of the most deprived 20per cent of areas has reduced from 18.3per cent in SIMD 2016 to 17.6 per cent.
“However, deprivation still persists in areas such as North Ayr. To address this issue we are developing local place plans by listening to communities and enabling greater choices in how they lead their day to day lives. This new approach is being piloted in Ayr North and Girvan. Action plans will be developed with communities and key partners to address priority local issues.
“The SIMD data reflects complex social issues and we are working together with our community planning partners to consider how we can approach these issues jointly and identify actions we can take to support our most vulnerable communities.”
Meanwhile, deprivation is rife in Bellsbank, according to an interactive map.
The map is designed to show up pockets of deprivation where there is a damaging lack of material benefits considered by society to be basic necessities.
A part of the village has been ranked the 42nd most deprived area in Scotland, according to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.
Four years ago, in 2016, it was ranked 101 in the most deprived category.
And now it would appear that the issue of deprivation is getting worse.
Bellsbank is, however, not the only part of the country which appears to be struggling.
Indeed, according to the figures Greenock Town Centre
is the most deprived area in the whole of Scotland, displacing previous incumbent Ferguslie Park, in the Paisley area.
Politicians have been quick to jump on the figures with MSP for South Scotland, Colin Smyth, branding them “completedly unacceptable.”
He also claims the index, published by Scotland’s Chief Statistician, Roger Halliday, “underestimates the scale of poverty” in the region because SMID often masks rural poverty.
He added“It beggars belief that in 2020, your postcode can still be the determining factor in your quality of life.”
Across South, East and North Ayrshire there are more than 30 areas which fall within the top 10 per cent most deprived.
Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said the Scottish Government was supporting our most disadvantaged and poorest communities through a “variety of ways,” adding: “We will continue to work in partnership with local government, the third sector and communities themselves to do all we can to tackle the causes of inequality.”