Sheffield Sheffield A Divided City?A Divided City?

Alan McGauleyAlan McGauley

Sheffield Hallam UniversitySheffield Hallam University

April 2005.April 2005.

Sheffield is a city with stark social andeconomic contrasts, with large areas ofdeprivation in the north and east. According tothe Governments Index of Multiple Deprivation,one third of Sheffield’s electoral wards ranked inthe 10% most deprived in the country.

Problems have been both economic e.g. high unemployment and skills mismatch following significant numbers of jobs lost in the steel and engineering industries; and social e.g. falling demand for social rented housing, unpopular housing estates with high turnover and vacancyrates.

While the regeneration of Sheffield is happeningapace, the people living in a number ofcommunities are not benefiting from thesuccess of the City.

Full Employment in Full Employment in Sheffield ?Sheffield ?

The standardised mortality ratio for 1995-8 istwice as high in Darnall and Netherthorpe as it is in Hallam

6 of the 9 worst achieving secondary schoolsare situated in the north east of the city

Between 40% and 50% of children in Southey Green, live in households with no earners;compared to less than 5% in Hallam and Ecclesall

The absence of work does not onlycreate poverty. It also feeds a variety of other social problems such as crime, poor health and low educational attainment. Once these inter-related problems have begun, a vicious dynamic can take hold. Property prices fall.Shops close. Those who can move out, do so.The area attracts a bad reputation, meaning that only the most vulnerable people will agree to live there, and some housing becomes difficult to let or vacant’

In Sheffield 10 wards fall below theGovernments indicators of the worst 10% in thecountry. This affects the residents who livethere. In addition to this, three wards feature inthe Governments worst 1%.

Conclusions.Conclusions.