A key council strategy for boosting jobs, pay, and economic growth is completely silent on York’s major health inequalities – even though low incomes and poverty are major causes of ill health and premature deaths, according to the Council’s own statistics.

The glaring omission was highlighted at a public meeting this week, where the council’s lead councillor for the economy was asked to sign off a draft economic strategy for York.

Main Opposition Labour Group Leader, Cllr Claire Douglas, who spoke at the meeting, explained:

“When low incomes lead to a 10 year difference in life expectancy depending on what York postcode you live in, it absolutely must be a consideration for the council in its economic strategy.  Sadly, this isn’t the case, suggesting the council’s economic team and the public health team are operating in isolation from one another.

“Let’s be clear.  When such health inequalities are explained through a lack of economic opportunities it means our economy is exclusive, not inclusive.  That should ring an alarm bell for the council. To see this draft strategy being adopted, even after this omission was highlighted, suggests the answer to my question on what the Executive Member is going to do about it, is straight forward, ‘Nothing’”.

The current Lib Dem-Green administration adopted a ‘council plan’ back in 2019, including goals of well-paid jobs and an inclusive economy, an objective that it stated would help reduce poverty and hunger, both of which have gone in the opposite direction in the intervening three years.

The economic strategy developed by the council is the latest in a long line of promises that ruling politicians trumpet, before they are placed on a virtual shelf and ignored in the years that follow, adds Cllr Pete Kilbane, Main Opposition Deputy Labour Leader, who also spoke at this week’s public meeting:

“Those parts of the city that have lower income levels and poorer health outcomes are, unfortunately, low priority areas for the current Lib Dem-Green administration.  I told the Executive Member that these communities should not be ignored anymore and that the council needs to get out and engage with residents who are struggling to make ends meet. 

“How is the council going to improve access to job opportunities and higher levels of pay for those residents who are cut off from the benefits of economic growth in York?  Sadly, this latest strategy has no answers”.