Wood End named the most deprived area in the Midlands

[dutchman]

Coventry's Wood End has been named as one of the most deprived areas in the whole of England, according to new research.



The area around Hillmorton Road, in Henley ward, has been identified as the eighth most deprived area in the country.

It is also the most deprived area in the Midlands and the only area in the whole of the West Midlands to be named in a top 20 list of struggling locations in England.

The list is based on figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government from the past five years and has been produced by the Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion.

Seven measures are used to calculate the level of deprivation in areas: income; employment; health and disability; education, skills and training; housing and services; living environment; and crime.

The research also showed Coventry as a whole is the 46th most deprived part of England. Overall, 18.5 per cent of the city is ranked in the top ten per cent of most deprived areas in England.

Labour Coun Ed Ruane represents the Henley ward in the city where Hillmorton Road and the surrounding Wood End area sits.

Coun Ruane, who is also the cabinet member for children’s services, said the figures did not come as a surprise to him.

He said: “It’s not a shock. Crime and other incidents have been well reported in the Telegraph in the past.

“It’s moved on, people are fully aware of the issues faced by the community.”

He added that he believed the area had improved in recent years through an estimated £54million of investment in the area.

He said: “In the last ten to 15 years there has been a huge reduction in crime, more new housing, new schools and a new leisure centre.

“This is exactly why housing projects in the area are so important.

“We’ve already seen about 600 or 700 houses built, and that’s still going on. It’s about improving housing stock in the area and regenerating existing stock.”