Wales’ poorest places revealed in new index
A COMMUNITY in Bridgend is one of Wales’ poorest places, new Welsh Government statistics have revealed.
Known as the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD), the list is published once every five years and looks at income levels, the health of residents, education levels, housing quality and access to services.
It is intended to highlight the areas that are in need of the greatest help.
The list shows that two parts of the seafront in the North Wales coastal town of Rhyl are now the most deprived in Wales.
The part of Lansbury Park estate in Caerphilly that was said to be the poorest in 2014, the last time the index was published, is now the third most deprived area of Wales.
The area of Tylorstown in Rhondda, which includes the Penrhys estate as well as parts of Pontygwaith, was fourth, followed by “Caerau 1” in Bridgend.
The area is mainly the streets to the west of the main road up the Valley and lies next to the land where there are plans to build the Afan Valley Adventure Resort.
“Penrhiwceiber 1”, including the area around Hawthorn Terrace in
Perthcelyn, in the Cynon Valley was sixth, followed by “Penydarren 1” in Merthyr Tydfil. This part of the town includes part of Galon Uchaf Road and the streets running off it.
In eighth place is “Twyn Carno 1” at the top of the Rhymney Valley, which is a cluster of streets to the east side of the B4257 Upper High Street. These include the Ty-Coch Estate and Aneurin Terrace and neighbouring streets.
Seven of the 10 most deprived areas in 2014 appear in the list for this year.
The most deprived areas of Cardiff are “Splott 6” – which includes a small area south of Adeline Street and East Moors.
It is the 12th most deprived area in Wales after appearing in the top 10 five years ago.
Next is “Trowbridge 8” – comprising an area off Willowbrooke Drive near Meadowlane Primary School (13th in Wales), “Ely 5” – an area north of Grand Avenue which includes Moore Road, Howell Road and Wilson Road (14th in Wales), “Ely 3” – north of Grand Avenue including Ty Coch Road, Red House Road and Ely Baptist Church (24th in Wales) and “Caerau 3” – south of Cowbridge Road West and includes areas around Amroth Road (27th in Wales).
The new figures show pockets of high relative deprivation in the South
Wales Valleys and in Newport and Wrexham.
The local authority with the highest proportion of small areas in the most deprived 10% in Wales in 2019 was Newport (24.2%). Monmouthshire had no areas in the most deprived 10%, and Powys only 1.3% (or one area).
The WIMD identifies areas with the highest concentrations of several different types of deprivation.
It ranks all small areas in Wales from 1 (most deprived) to 1,909 (least deprived).
“Deprivation” does not just mean being poor. It refers to unmet need which is caused by a lack of resources of other kinds, not just financial.
It can mean having fewer resources and opportunities than we might expect in our society, for example in terms of health or education.
Areas are ranked on eight separate domains (or types) of deprivation.
The index looks at wage levels, unemployment, the health of residents, their education levels, how easy it is to get a bus or a train or to a hospital as well as community safety, housing and the environment.
Each of the categories is allocated a “weighting” – or the importance it has in calculating the overall index.
This year, the weightings have changed slightly to make income and unemployment levels slightly less important and health and housing slightly more important.
Economy Minister Ken Skates said: “The Welsh Government is absolutely committed to taking a cross-government approach to tackling poverty.
“Spreading prosperity and tackling poverty is a priority commitment for this Welsh Government but we are working against the severe and unhelpful backdrop of a decade of austerity.
“There is no doubt that challenges remain but we will continue to fight tirelessly for a more equal and prosperous Wales where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.”