News from Sheffield Labour

Sheffield Council earmarks £1 million to tackle City’s inequalities

Councillor Julie Dore, Leader of Sheffield City Council, has announced that £1 million of funding from Sheffield City Council will be earmarked to tackling inequalities through supporting the recommendations of the Fairness Commission.

The Fairness Commission was established by the council to consider the nature, extent, causes and impact of inequalities in the City and started its work in February this year.

A wide range of issues impacting on inequalities and life chances have been discussed as part of the Commission, including health, poverty and welfare, employment and unemployment, aspiration and attainment and housing.

Over 50,000 households are now believed to be living in poverty in the city – just over a fifth of households in Sheffield.

The Council is committed to tackling inequalities and has pledged to consider how it will put the recommendations of the Fairness Commission into action. Prioritising this £1 million of funding will ensure that the council has some resource to deliver this pledge when the Commission reports in September.

In addition to the funding for the Fairness Commission the council is also increasing the Keep Sheffield Working Fund, from £400,000 to £800,000, which will be used to help the Council to do all it can to create the conditions for private sector growth and be able get behind new ideas that will help create jobs and drive our economy forward.

The additional investment in the above priorities, which will be made on a ‘one off’ basis, was made possible following one-off underspends and efficiencies in the Council’s budget.

Labour Leader of Sheffield City Council, Councillor Julie Dore said:

“We know that inequalities are a major challenge for our city and we want to invest where we can have the maximum impact in tackling them. This is why we are targeting this one off funding so the council can begin to implement some of the recommendations of the Fairness Commission when they report in September.

“I believe that Sheffield should be a great place to work, learn, live and enjoy for everyone in this city and am determined to make sure that we address many of the barriers that people in Sheffield face.

“The Fairness Commission has considered how inequalities in income, educational attainment, housing and can all impact on life chances. We will now wait for them to make recommendations on the positive steps forward the council and other partners in the city can take to tackle these inequalities.”

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