Jobs may be plentiful but many are low wage and low skilled. Whilst there has been a marked rise in the number of 14-19 years olds leaving school with work ready qualifications in recent years, a quarter leave with no qualifications.
We are proud to have one of the largest BME populations in the South East (12%) - with some areas as high as 28% - and really do benefit from and celebrate it. ‘Community cohesion’ is not just a buzzword, but a tangible expression of the way our diverse population has lived and grown up together over successive generations.
There are households where income is in the lower quartile nationally and pockets of high unemployment. Some areas fall within the bottom 20% in the county for child poverty. Men in the west of the town will live seven years less on average than those in the east. Teenage conception rates are the highest in West Sussex and above the national average.
Any one of these issues could prevent the town from realising its potential, but a strong lead from the local Council and effective collaboration across all sectors is proving very powerful.
Michael Coughlin, Chief Executive, Crawley Borough Council
