COUNCIL chiefs have called an emergency summit after its provision for social mobility and child poverty was voted amongst the worst in the country.

Wychavon District Council has decided to call the meeting to bring together a range of organisations to look at how to improve the social mobility of those less well off living in the area.

It follows a report from the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission that ranked Wychavon 310th out of 324 local authority areas in England for ensuring children from disadvantaged backgrounds do well at school and get a good job.

Cllr Charles Tucker urged the council to act at a recent meeting, stating: "The council has failed to tackle the growing inequality between those who have benefitted from rising prosperity in the district and those who have not. 

"Poor social mobility is rooted in low incomes, low aspirations and low expectations.

"The Westlands project is a start but the issue demands far more be done.

"We propose that the council should urgently review priorities and promises for 2018/19 to address poor social mobility, put additional resources into skills development, targeting the least socially mobile, particularly teens and young adults seek ways to access the European Social Fund for a major project to improve social mobility among low income groups."

Cllr Linda Robinson, Leader of Wychavon District Council, said: “We want every child growing up in Wychavon to do well at school, find a job and have a decent standard of living.

"We’re playing our part by focusing on those issues we can directly control like attracting businesses and employment, improving skills and housing.

“However, it is clear improving social mobility will require action from a number of different organisations over a sustained period of time. Bringing those organisations together will help us understand what action is already being taken, what more needs to be done and how that can be achieved.”

Among those invited to attend the conference will be Worcestershire County Council, schools and Babcock Prime, responsible for school improvement in the county.

Educational attainment was a particular issue of concern in the report with figures show just 13 per cent of Wychavon pupils on free school meals achieved the expected level of reading, writing and mathematics skills by age 11. The national average is 39 per cent.

Organisations that have successfully implemented measures to improve social mobility will also be invited to the summit to share their ideas and methods.

The council’s strategy contains a number of key district-wide promises around improving skills, apprenticeships, work placements and delivering more affordable housing.

A date for the summit has yet to be scheduled but it is likely to be in the spring.