The majority of towns that saw rioting over the summer after the stabbing attack in Southport have a ‘torn social fabric’, a charitable trust has said.
A new report from Power to Change draws on the Onward think tank's social fabric index, which looks at employment rates, the level of education, trust in government, and physical infrastructure, to assess the link between deprivation and social unrest.
Fixing the Foundations: A communities strategy for Britain found that 23 of the 27 places that saw the most serious disorder over the summer had social fabric scores significantly below the median.
The report recommends new and improved funding to support community ownership, giving more control to local people over spending decisions, and creating an arms-length body to support community-led institutions contribution to local growth.
