Sandwell NESPs

1. Sandwell NESPs DAF Funding 13th September 2007

2. PROVIDE DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR SANDWELL’S FLOOR TARGET ACTION PLAN.

3. FOCUS ON WARD LEVEL POLICY HAS BEEN POSITIVELY RECEIVED BY ELECTED MEMBERS, THEREFORE DELIVERY IS ESSENTIAL.

4. ALTHOUGH IMPACT ASESSMENT AND GAP ANALYSIS ARE INTEGRAL, DIFFICULTIES HAVE BEEN ENCOUNTERED IN OBTAINING DATA AT THAT LEVEL.

5. IT IS CRITICAL TO SUCCESS THAT DIFFERING LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURES ARE RECOGNISED.

6. Friar Park • Priority for residents with low qualifications • Priority for lone parents • Of all the wards in Sandwell, Friar Park has the lowest proportion of residents with higher level qualifications and the highest proportion with no qualifications at all

7. Greets Green and Lyng • Priority for BME groups • Priority for residents with low qualifications • The intensity of manufacturing employment in the ward is high – double the borough rate • High proportion of long term claimants of Job Seekers Allowance

8. Oldbury • Priority for BME groups • Incapacity benefit claim rate has recently increased compared to borough average • High proportion of residents claiming Job Seekers Allowance for short periods • Unemployment rate has recently increased compared to borough average

9. Princes End • Priority for lone parents • Priority for benefits dependency • Priority for residents with low qualifications • Priority for over 50s • Priority for access to transport links • Claims for all benefits high in the 16-24 age group

10. Smethwick • Priority for lone parents • Priority for BME groups • High proportion of Job Seekers Allowance claimants of 6-12 months duration, yet a relatively low number in the over 12 months category • Notably high proportion of residents with higher-level qualifications. This is surprising in a ward with such a high degree of worklessness and may merit further investigation

11. Soho and Victoria • Priority for lone parents • Priority for BME groups • Life expectancy is the lowest in the borough • High proportion of people with no qualifications • Higher proportion of females claiming benefit than borough average

12. St Paul’s • Priority for lone parents • Priority for residents with low qualifications • Priority for BME groups • More female benefits claimants than men • The third highest number of jobs in the Borough after West Bromwich Central and Oldbury • High levels of long term benefits claimants

13. West Bromwich Central • Priority for BME groups • Priority for Incapacity Benefit • Priority for over 50s • High proportion of long term unemployed • Low car ownership