02 Feb Reviving Britain’s coast – MPs to press for more government help for coastal communities
Communities on Britain’s coastline have fallen behind the rest of the country but the government could unlock their potential by adjusting its Levelling Up policy, according to research published today (Wednesday 1st February 2023).
Household income in coastal areas is almost £3,000 per year lower than in non-coastal communities, with nearly one in five jobs below the living wage – a greater proportion than for England overall.
Low pay is one of a wide range of disadvantages detailed in Communities on the edge, a study commissioned by the Coastal Communities Alliance, the Local Government Association Coastal Special Interest Group and the Coastal Partnerships Network from Pragmatix Advisory.
Today members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coastal Communities discussed the report’s findings, and the need for investment to address the unfair disparities between coastal and non-coastal parts of Britain.
Sally-Ann Hart MP, chair of the group, told the meeting: “If we give our coastal communities the right focus and support the opportunities are boundless…rather than coastal communities being a problem they are actually an important resource for the United Kingdom.
“The need for long term funding is key because our coastal communities have challenges which have become entrenched over decades – there isn’t a quick fix.”
The research reveals there is a risk the government’s existing Levelling Up agenda fails to identify the massive challenges faced by coastal communities.
Its 2022 Levelling Up White Paper analyses performance at a regional or city regional level, missing hidden disparities contained in more local data.
For example, the East of England has the third highest regional average weekly pay, although parts of the region have some of the lowest earnings in the country. The hidden problem of low pay is revealed in data available at district, rather than regional level.
Ministers should consider using the more detailed data to target the communities most in need, and make sure coastal areas do not miss out on Levelling Up, says the report.
The study reveals many ways in which coastal communities remain in danger of being left behind non-coastal areas.
In coastal communities:
A higher proportion of children live in workless households.
Disabled people are less likely to find work.
There is a damaging “digital divide” with gigabit broadband and 4G provision lagging behind.
A lower proportion of children achieve GCSE qualifications in maths and English.
Children are more likely to be persistently absent from school.
People suffer poorer health outcomes, with higher rates of depression, suicide, alcohol-related hospital admissions, and emergency admissions for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
There are fewer council houses, leading to a greater reliance on the private rented sector where housing costs are higher.
Cost of living pressures are more keenly felt, particularly in peripheral areas where it is impossible to access cheaper mains gas.
The report says some of the challenges faced by coastal communities have developed over years or decades, and will require longer term funding strategies.
It says the government should consider:
Changing the local government funding formula to better reflect deprivation and the needs of coastal communities.
Long term, sustainable funding to support projects across their full lifespan – at the moment help for coastal communities is often time-limited.
Strategic funding which would allow authorities to merge different streams to achieve levelling up in coastal communities.
The right support would boost growth and see coastal areas contribute far more to the wider UK economy, says the report.
Increases in home and hybrid working are an opportunity for coastal communities to attract more skilled and highly paid workers.
Coastal areas already generate more renewable energy than the national average, and investment in offshore wind farms, wave and tidal power has the potential for even more sustainable growth.
Investing in year-round tourism would offer coastal communities the chance to benefit from huge growth in the UK’s visitor economy, says the report.
See below for quotes
Notes for editors:
You can read the full report here: https://www.coastalcommunities.co.uk/knowledge-base/category/reports/communities-on-the-edge
Pragmatix Advisory was commissioned by the Coastal Communities Alliance, Coastal Partners, Coastal Partnership Network, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Essex County Council, Greater Lincolnshire LEP, LGA Coastal Special Interest Group, Lincolnshire Council, South Tyneside Council and Torbay Council to research and report on the coastal levelling up challenge and the opportunities for growth in coastal communities.
For more information, contact Simon Read, Coast Communications simon@coastmarcoms.co.uk
Quotes from partner organisations sponsoring the report:
Councillor Steve Darling is the Leader of Torbay Council, one of the authorities backing the report: “Coastal communities are vitally important to the whole of the UK, but they have been neglected for too long”, he says.
“This study gives us a vast amount of evidence that people living along Britain’s coast are falling behind. The government must urgently consider more sustainable ways to help coastal communities grow and prosper. With the right help, we can make an even bigger contribution to the wider economy.”
Darren Cowell, Deputy Leader of Torbay Council, said: “Torbay is a beautiful part of the country, but this belies some of the very real economic problems we face.
“We have a housing crisis which means many of our families are in long-term temporary accommodation. Households are also struggling with the effects of the cost-of-living crisis. This all impacts on health and educational attainment.
“What is needed is long-term sustainable investment which will lead to growth in our local economy and better outcomes for individuals and families.”
Councillor Ernest Gibson, Chair of the LGA Coastal SIG, says:
“The coastal fringe is home to some of the most unique yet fragile communities within the country. Their position on the periphery provides them with a host of opportunities as well as challenges. The government must consider sustainable long-term solutions to allow our valuable coastal communities to thrive, maximise the significant opportunities that exist around tourism and the green economy, and build more resilience into their futures.”
Amy Pryor, Chair of the Coastal Partnerships Network, says:
“Our coastal towns, cities and coastline are melting pots – for people, the environment and the economy. Coasts and coastal communities are microcosms of wider society; they are hugely diverse, ever-changing and emblematic of our national identity. They are distinctive, dynamic places of transition where issues are intensified, amplified and distilled in ways that are only encountered where the land meets the sea. The Coastal Partnerships Network (CPN) operates to support grass-roots coordination and partnership working at the coast, and to drive the delivery of social, environmental and economic benefits for coastal communities where the impacts of the challenges above are most keenly felt. This can only be done when solutions to our socio-economic challenges are met together with environmental challenges in an integrated way. This report highlights where this can be achieved through Levelling Up if further metrics can be included or created where they don’t currently exist. This approach is critical if we are to support our coastal communities in meeting the climate crisis with resilience.”
Samantha Richardson MBE, Director of the National Coastal Tourism Academy, says:
“The surge in holidays to the coast during the pandemic has re-ignited a love affair with our coastline and opened up the coast to new audiences, creating a significant opportunity for growth in coastal economies. The demand for sustainable visits in the UK coupled with the unique opportunity presented by the creation of the new England Coast Path National Trail provide a once-in-a-lifetime turning point. With the right support to develop the year-round offer, the challenge of seasonal employment and lack of skills could be addressed to ensure the coast attracts investment to provide long term prosperity for the next generation and beyond.”
