Agenda item

Liz Pitt, Business Intelligence Advisor was welcomed to the meeting to give a presentation of available data relating to the Central Area.

The presentation covered demographic trends in the area; deprivation; skills, training and employment; poverty; and health and wellbeing.

With regards to the changing ethnicity in the area, it was noted that for adults the only available information was the 2011 census, and therefore children registered in school with English as an additional language was suggested as a proxy.

It was suggested that trend data could be provided, which could help to show whether the ethnicity in the area was changing.

When considering Experian data, Members noted the high proportions of residents in the groups ‘transient renters’ and ‘vintage value’.

Members noted the higher than Barnsley and National average figures for Free School Meals, and questioned why proportions for Education and Health Care Plans were relatively high for primary school pupils when compared to secondary.  It was thought that there could be secondary pupils waiting for assessment, and that the process for assessment in primary school may be better than in previous years.

Attention was drawn to the trends in attainment from early years foundation stage through to key stage 4 and those Not In Education, Employment or Training (NEET) post 16.

The meeting considered the numbers of residents out of work in the area, with the proportion being higher than Barnsley and nationally.  Within the area there were significant variations between wards for child and fuel poverty.  It was thought that poverty was increasing in the area and therefore work had been arranged to improve the dataset.

Health statistics were discussed, including risk factors causing premature deaths, with smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol being the three greatest factors.

Other health information, including excess winter deaths, and mortality rates from cancer, respiratory disease, and cardiovascular diseases were considered.  It was again noted that there were significant variances between wards.

With regards to loneliness, data relating to ‘hot spots’ identified by Age UK was discussed, as were the numbers of men 25-49 living alone

A number of comments were made in relation to the data, which often had time lags and was therefore not up to date, however it was noted that this was the most recent available.

RESOLVED That thanks be given for the presentation.