York The Inclusive City

Despite York's overall prosperity, there are within the city, groups of people who, because of poverty, illness, disability, age, lack of education, and many other forms of disadvantage, are denied opportunities that most of us take for granted.

Without Walls aims to change this and maximise the opportunities of all York citizens to take advantage of the amenities and services that the City offers:

To have a decent home and services which enable them to stay put when they become elderly or infirm

To go to a good school and enjoy lifelong learning

To choose from a wide range of employment opportunities and earn a decent wage

To access high quality medical and social care when they need it

To play sport and enjoy the arts and other leisure pursuits

To travel around in the city and feel safe

But these benefits will not be won easily. We will have to agree strategies and design policies that will make things happen differently. For example we know that if you have a low income and live in poor housing, you are much more likely to suffer ill-health and have less chance of a good education. But is not good enough to say that if we can just stimulate the local economy everyone will be better off and that will fix it. Greater prosperity over the years in York has just meant that the disparity between the most deprived wards in the City and the richest, has increased. We need policies that turn this around.

We will develop a Community Legal Service to ensure that residents can get sound advice and information regarding the benefits and services to which they are entitled. We have plans for a Credit Union which will offer financial services to everyone in the city, especially the less well-off and defeat the loan sharks who prey on our poorest citizens.

Although there is high employment in York, wages are relatively low. We must inspire successful businesses to share their prosperity with their workforce and create jobs, perhaps in social enterprises, for those who are less able. We must offer training to equip people with the skills that are needed in York.

Even before the latest housing boom, buying a house in York was way beyond the reach of many people. We must continue to explore new housing schemes which meet the needs of local people and which they can afford. This is particularly important for young people, older people and those who are disabled.

Whilst York should make the most of its history, we must try to make its ancient streets and buildings more accessible to people with disabilities and we need a transport system that is more responsive to the needs of all our citizens.

We must welcome visitors to our city and celebrate the diversity and multiculturalism of 21st century Britain. We are implementing policies for promoting racial harmony and tackling prejudice and harassment in all its forms.

This can only be achieved if all the agencies with the responsibilities for these services work together as a strategic partnership and direct their resources towards these agreed goals. This is what Without Walls is all about.

What's the aim?

Identify and remove some of the barriers that make it difficult for people

to access services and participate fully in the life of their neighbourhood and city.

What issues do we face?

One fifth of the population is classed as being in poverty

There is a great disparity between the richest and most deprived ward in York

There is significant demand for housing and a large unmet need for affordable homes

There has been a 48 per cent rise in homelessness since 1998

More than five per cent of York's population are lone parent households with dependent children

Several of the city's wards have higher than national average rates of residents claiming welfare benefits

What can we do?

Listen and respond to the needs expressed by people in communities in most need

Improve access to services, information and facilities for residents, neighbourhoods and those most at risk from exclusion

Increase the availability of affordable, sustainable, housing

Implement a multi-agency inclusion strategy focusing on what can be done to reduce poverty, access to advice, finance and other services

Make York a welcoming and inclusive city to people of all lifestyles, cultures, faiths and ethnic backgrounds

Value and make the most of the experience of York's older people

What will we do?

The vision will develop a York Community Legal Service Partnership which will ensure that all residents have easy access to good quality legal advice issues such as employment, debt and housing.

By supporting the development of a York Credit Union, we will improve access to secure savings, low cost loans and financial advice to everyone in York, particularly those people on low incomes or those facing credit poverty,.

We will promote access for disabled people to key York buildings through supporting the work of the Disabled Persons' Advisory Group, York People First, Disabled Go and the Us In Forum.

By using data from the 2001 census, we will identify York's most deprived areas and agree a set of measures to reduce it.

The vision includes plans for an annual volunteer week in an effort to increase the numbers of people engaged in voluntary and community activities.

We will aim to increase the supply of affordable housing and reduce homelessness. Working with neighbouring councils, new approaches to affordable housing will be developed.

A ConneXions service will be provided to engage young people and give them information, guidance and support.

The development of a youth work plan should also help to transform youth services.

Success would be a reduction in deprivation, a reduction in the housing waiting list and in homelessness as well as an increase in the percentage people who feel their local area is a place where people of from all backgrounds and communities can live together in harmony.

Updated: 12:27 Thursday, July 22, 2004