Bid to improve quality of life for Crawley residents

The recommendations were agreed after the Government’s Social Mobility Commission highlighted the borough as one of the poorest local authority areas in the country for social mobility in its 2017 report.

A council spokesman said: “Ranging from the development of social housing to addressing local employment and skills gaps, the recommendations offer practical steps to improve the life chances of those growing up in Crawley.”

Councillor Peter Lamb, leader of Crawley Borough Council, added: “No one’s future should be set simply by who their parents are.

“Yet here in Crawley, social mobility is poorer than almost anywhere else in the UK.

“We cannot stand by and allow the injustice to continue; a decent quality of life should be open to everyone.

“While most of the things which affect social mobility in Crawley are controlled by West Sussex County Council, Crawley Borough Council’s current administration has done much to try and improve things and this report will add to our efforts.”

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The council’s recommendations are to:

* Continue to support the council’s commitment to building social housing

* Bring training providers together to embark upon a solution for adult learning and re-education opportunities

* Develop work with the Information and Advice Group (IAG) to engage with junior children and careers advice, particularly on how to access pathways

* Incorporate careers advice into the Junior Citizen Scheme run by the council

* Ensure the council continues to support the ‘Be the Change’ initiative

* Work with Crawley College to develop closer co-operation with local employers, to help develop skills pathways into better paid jobs for more Crawley