Newcastle Labour is developing a new approach to help ensure council resources are targeted at the communities and residents who need them most.
The Newcastle Future Needs Assessment will bring together information about the challenges facing communities across the city, helping Labour make better-informed decisions about services, investment and priorities at a time when council finances are under severe pressure.
Rather than looking at Newcastle as a whole, the work will help identify differences between communities and highlight where unemployment, poverty, poor health and other inequalities are having the greatest impact.
It will combine statistical information with professional evidence and the experiences of residents, giving the council and its partners a clearer understanding of both current needs and the challenges Newcastle is likely to face in the years ahead.
Labour believes that understanding those differences is particularly important as the council deals with significant reductions in the funding available for local services.
The assessment will help ensure that difficult decisions are based on evidence about where resources can make the greatest difference, rather than applying the same approach to every neighbourhood regardless of local circumstances.
It will also provide a shared evidence base for the council and organisations working across Newcastle, helping partners coordinate their efforts and focus support on tackling some of the city’s most persistent inequalities.
Council Leader Cllr Nick Forbes said: “Different communities across Newcastle face very different challenges, and we need to understand those differences if we are going to use the resources available to us effectively.
“Labour wants decisions about services and investment to be based on evidence and on the real needs of Newcastle residents.
“The Newcastle Future Needs Assessment will help us identify where inequalities are greatest and where action can make the biggest difference.
“At a time when the council has less money available, it is more important than ever that we understand where resources are needed most and target them accordingly.”