Bottom of the pack with poor wages

According to research organisation Nomis, the average gross weekly wage for those working in Arun in 2010 was £399 – the lowest of the seven councils in West Sussex.

This compares to a West Sussex average of £479 (20 per cent higher) and a south-east average of £523 (31 per cent higher). The national average is £500 (25 per cent higher).

Arun ranks 63rd out of 67 local authorities in south-east England when it comes to the ratio of jobs to population aged 16-64. Low wage levels create an unacceptably high level of outbound commuting.

Currently, around 37 per cent of the working population leave the district each day to work, with most of those by car – no wonder there is so much congestion.

There are around 3,500 households on Arun’s housing needs register, individuals and families unable to get a foot on the housing ladder, often trapped by hereditary deprivation, and more than 1,000 of these households are in priority housing need. In the five years to 2009, Arun had the fastest growing housing needs register in the entire south-east region.

According to Shelter, in Arun it takes 12 times the average wage (£17,888) to purchase the average priced house (£214,953). The lower the average wage the greater the need for affordable housing is likely to be and, not surprisingly, Arun has a deficit of affordable housing.

Employment and housing prospects in Arun are desperate. What hope is there for the district’s 24,000 children?

Councils and their councillors are not always held to account for their record; some voters cast their vote locally according to their party preference at national level, and so, local councillors can be voted in time after time, simply because of the colour of the rosette they wear.

In Arun the same party has held power since 1974.

For an under-performing council, the right-coloured rosette can be the political equivalent of a get out of jail free card!

In reality, there are good and bad councils of all political persuasions. National party politics should not matter at local level – local needs should come first. As voters, we are responsible for delivering the best possible future for our children and grandchildren and so we should judge our council solely on its record at local level.

If we are satisfied with Arun’s record, we should vote for more of the same – if we are dissatisfied, we should vote for change.

Tony Dixon

Barons Close, Westergate