FoD Levels of Deprivation — and why this matters now

We are proud of the Forest of Dean, proud of its resilience, its people and its sense of community. But pride should never prevent honesty. Behind Gloucestershire’s strong overall performance sits a more uneven reality: deprivation remains a real challenge in parts of our district, and unless we understand why, we cannot change it.

The Gloucestershire Local Growth Plan confirms that while the county overall ranks among the least deprived nationally, some neighbourhoods still fall within the most deprived 10 per cent in England. It also shows that the Forest of Dean has the highest relative level of need compared with other districts.

The causes are not simple. Deprivation here is rarely about one issue alone. Barriers to housing and services, education and skills gaps, health outcomes and the wider living environment combine over time to limit opportunity.

In rural communities, these pressures are often less visible than in cities, but no less real.

So why has this persisted?

Partly because county-wide success can hide local struggle. Positive headline figures make it easy to assume everyone is thriving, when in reality rural communities experience very different challenges. Services are more dispersed, public transport is limited, and investment tends to follow established growth corridors. Without deliberate, place-based focus, inequalities quietly remain.

For young people, this becomes deeply personal. Across Gloucestershire there has been a significant rise in young people becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) particularly after Year 11.

In areas where access to opportunities already feels limited, every young person who disengages represents potential slowly slipping away.

These are not abstract statistics. They are young people in our classrooms, families worrying about what comes next, and communities questioning whether opportunity exists close to home.

The Growth Plan sets out a framework for inclusive growth, but success will depend on delivery. For the Forest, that means embedding social value into every investment, ensuring apprenticeships, local labour and skills pathways are built into development from the start. It means stronger partnerships between employers and education providers so training leads to real local jobs. And it means recognising that housing, transport, digital connectivity and education infrastructure are not side issues; they are economic foundations.

This is why, as Chair of the Forest Economic Partnership, I have accepted an invitation to join a Gloucestershire County Council Cabinet Panel focused on areas where the Forest faces the greatest challenges, including housing and the living environment. The first meeting takes place this Thursday, and I see it as a positive opportunity to ensure the Forest’s voice helps shape practical solutions.

The Forest of Dean has enormous potential, but potential without action is simply promise. Levelling up will be judged not by what we say, but by what we change, and I will continue to fight for the progress our young people, families and communities deserve.