By Shelby Stapleton
Poverty and employment issues are being tackled through the launch of a local council commission that will put public views first.
The Poverty and Worklessness Commission, introduced by Hammersmith and Fulham Council, will consult with members of the community to draw upon their experiences with these prevailing concerns, in relation to issues such as mental ill-health and borough housing costs.
Recent Commission documents state that eight areas within the borough rank in the nation’s 10% most deprived, with over half of borough residents considered to be out of work long-term.
An individual may be identified as workless if they are not seeking work or wanting to be employed despite the ability to do so, or as a result of retirement, illness, disability, or family commitments. In this way, worklessness is considered different to unemployment, where an individual does not have a job, but is seeking work and able to begin.
The Commission aims to improve local and wider support services to increase opportunities for borough residents, notably those who are older, vulnerable, or experiencing difficulties with finances or mental ill-health. It is intended that the strengthening of these services and opportunities, through partnerships with borough support organisations, will promote independence, enabling members of the community to experience a greater quality of life.
Shani Lee, Chief Executive of the Desta Consortium and member of the Commission, described it as an “important” approach to confronting “long standing and deeply entrenched” issues in the borough.
“We are especially interested in hearing the real-life experiences of local people – what prevents them from achieving a secure and sustainable income, and how people have successfully moved from poverty and worklessness into economic independence. We want to know what factors help people make lasting changes in their lives.”
Despite a strong economy, business survival rates in the borough are low, and the Commission aims to tackle this, through discussion with local business owners about reported employment skills gaps, and how these businesses can become more resilient. Additionally, it aims to address the affordability of homes in the borough through collaboration with housing associations – November of 2015 saw the average cost of rent stand as £1,500 per month, according to data compiled by London’s Poverty Profile.
The Commission will meet at a minimum of every two months, exploring community views through written and oral evidence that will be accessible to the public online. Developments will be reported to residents, the council, and other organisations working to generate change in the borough.
