GMB calls for action over social mobility ‘coldspots’ in the South East

GMB Southern is calling for urgent action to implement the recommendations of the Social Mobility Commission in the 7 local authority areas in the South East identified as social mobility “coldspots.”

The areas in the South East identified as areas in need of urgent action to improve social mobility are Crawley, Hastings, Chichester, Gosport, Thanet, Arun and West Berkshire.

These 7 areas are identified in the report which sets out the Social Mobility Index, which ranks all 324 local authorities in England in terms of their social mobility prospects for someone from a disadvantaged background. It uses a range of 16 indicators for every major life stage, from early years through to working lives, to map the nation’s social mobility hotspots and coldspots. A similar, but not comparable, approach is taken for Scotland and Wales.

Paul Maloney, GMB Regional Secretary, said “GMB has been saying for years that the central focus of all government economic policy should be to bring up the levels of economic activity and earning in all parts of the country up to the level of the best performing areas in London and the South East.”

“This report reinforces this message. GMB want to see urgent action now in all 7 areas identified by the Social Mobility Commission as ‘coldspots.’ We want to see all elected representatives and the bodies they sit on committing themselves to actions to bring prosperity and economic development to their areas. We want to see them working with employers and unions and schools and colleges and other bodies to get sustained action to implement the recommendations in this latest report.”

“In particular we want to see action that all local authorities should all become accredited Living Wage employers and encourage others in their communities to do likewise.”

Contact: Michelle Gordon 07866 369259 or GMB Press Office 0752 653 7405

Notes to editors:
1) Social Mobility Commission press release 28 November 2017