Council chiefs says work is being done to improve people’s life chances after Weymouth and Portland came almost bottom of the pile for social mobility.

The borough’s shock ranking as one of the most “left behind” communities in the country was revealed in a Social Mobility Commission report.

The borough council said there is much the government can do to help – but there is also work taking place locally to improve lives and outcomes for residents, including projects with Dorset County Council and other partners.

This work covers improving the economy, housing, health outcomes, educational achievement, and digital inclusion.

The Melcombe Regis Board set up last year for example is working to improve residents’ quality of life in central Weymouth.

A borough council spokesman said problems stem from the fact that Weymouth and Portland has a seasonal, low-pay economy with a few large – mainly public sector – employers, and with several wards that are among the most deprived in the country.

The spokesman said: “The borough has much in common with other coastal towns. It is remote from a strong industrial base, has a lack of investment and a lack of opportunity. Local agencies are trying to address this but it will take time to turn things around.”

Work going on includes:
 

Education

  •  Councils and Dorset LEP partnered up with the national Careers and Enterprise Company to support secondary schools develop careers programmes
  • Lobbying for extra funding
  • Extra support for young people and older adults to get into employment through Dorset Skills and Learning and Weymouth College

Early support

  • Family partnership zones
  • Chesil Zone to support families

Community work

  • Work with community groups to improve prospects for locals
  • Working with You initiative in deprived areas
  • Melcombe Regis Board to improve central Weymouth

Housing

  • Opening Doors – Building for the Future programme with a target of 20,000 new homes in the area by 2033
  • Work to improve standards in the private rental sector
  • Rough sleepers’ outreach service
  • Helping the Bus Shelter project to find a site
  • DCC invested £650,000 to service land at Osprey Quay to provide homes and employment space

Economic development

  • Western Dorset Growth Strategy
  • Peninsula redevelopment part of plan to regenerate town

Digital inclusion

  • Almost every home and business locally has access to superfast broadband. A further 260 premises will be connected through Ultrafast in next two years
  •  Superfast Dorset will work to train more volunteer digital champions

Health and wellbeing

  • Support for Osprey Leisure Centre
  • Opportunities within natural environment for skills development, training, and employment