Purpose

Thanet District Council has developed a Tackling Poverty Strategy to bring together internal and external partners and create a Tackling Poverty Network Group to monitor actions across a range of poverty indicators to address the causes and effects of deprivation in Thanet.

Decision

Cabinet agreed the following:

1. The adoption of the Tackling Poverty Strategy (2026);

1. That the provisions of the Tackling Poverty Strategy be incorporated into other council policies, including Health in All Policy (HiAP), as appropriate.

Reasons for the decision

The 2025 Indices of Deprivation rank Thanet wards within the bottom 10% of most deprived local authority districts in England. Poverty in the district is multidimensional, evidenced by significant health inequalities, such as a three-year lower male life expectancy compared to the South East average, 26.3% of children in Thanet living in relative low-income families, and 14% of households facing fuel poverty. Thanet faces unique socio-economic challenges as a coastal community, ranking 26th most deprived out of 296 local authorities in England. This strategy aligns existing efforts with new frameworks like the UK’s first Marmot Coastal Region initiative to tackle the social determinants of health.

Alternative options considered

Alternative 1 - Adopt the Tackling Poverty Strategy 2026, with amendments. This policy has been drafted to meet current legislation and guidance requirements.

Alternative 2 - Not to adopt the Tackling Poverty Strategy, as this is not considered a priority for the council. This option is not recommended given the council’s Corporate Plan 2024-2028 commitments to community and the health equity of residents.