Poverty is worsening across Northumberlands seaboard towns and Villages

 

A report commissioned by the Coastal Communities Alliance, the LGA Coastal Special Interest Group and the Coastal Partnerships Network shows that in areas such as coastal Northumberland one in five workers earn less than the minimum wage.

Their research shows that families earn on average £3,000 per year less than market towns further inland. Nowhere in Northumberland is this felt harder than in Newbiggin by the Sea which is home to the largest number of children living in poverty in Northumberland. Poorer health, education, transport and broadband links are also highlighted within the report.

We are aware through press and news reports that Town & County Councillors and area champions, Liz Simpson and Jim Lang have been trying to raise matters affecting Newbiggin by the Sea and North Seaton’s young people since 2017 with the Tories who run the County Council being unwilling to help, effectively turning Nelson's eye to the plight of those living in coastal areas.

Both Newbiggin’s Labour County Councillors have expressed bitter disappointment when children's service reports show a lack of improvement for Newbiggin with the Councils administration pouring fortunes into privatised schools such as Hexham High while kids from Coastal areas receive very much less help.

The report ‘Communities on the Edge, a revisit of their excellent 2017 work states:  says: Many areas have lower wages due to jobs being seasonal and part-time in the tourism sector, or with small firms.

A lower proportion of children achieve GCSE qualifications in maths and English, with children more likely to regularly miss school.

Fewer new council houses mean people rely on private rentals where costs are higher, and cars are needed because of poor public transport.

Coastal areas have higher rates of depression, suicide, alcohol-related hospital admissions and emergency admissions for lung conditions.

Limited gigabit broadband and 4G provision causes a "digital divide".

It also describes the issues facing such areas as having been "years, if not decades" in the making but Northumberland’s coastal problems have grown out of all proportion since 2017 with a major growth area being depopulation, through the wealthy purchasing second homes near the coast causing major problems for the survival of retail business outside the main holiday periods. Newbiggin by the Sea is one of those towns badly affected by these problems.