Wednesday, November 29, 2006

The importance of super-output areas

Yesterday, Ann Coffey MP asked about use of "super-output areas" to identify areas of deprivation. The importance being that Shaw Heath is receiving £1.6 million of neighbourhood renewal funding, despite being within a relatively affluent constituency.

It's a rather technocratic debate, but some may find it of interest. Click on the image below to see the debate, taken from Hansard.






Plaque in the new Lancaster House garden, to recognise Shaw Heath Neighbourhood Renewal funding.As an aside, I was at the Heath Bank Area Committee which endorsed the Shaw Heath Neighbourhood Renewal. It was an unedifying sight. One of the Davenport councillors took great pleasure in scoring points over the Council Officer who presented the report. The Councillor insisted the entire Report be re-written and all statistics recalculated to take account of about a dozen households which the Committee had decided to add to the Area. It was clearly going to be a big job and I wanted to shout, "That's my tax money you're wasteing". But interjections from observers are not permitted. It worries me how many politicians are there to satisfy their own egos.