Tackling Poverty In Fife
The Fairer Fife Commission will examine the issue and report back on how best to tackle it.
A new group is hoping to get to the root causes of poverty across the Kingdom.
The Fairer Fife Commission will look at issues such transport, childcare and employability.
It will feedback on how to best tackle the issue next year.
Council leader David Ross, says it brings together a range of experts....
Senior figures from across Scotland have come together to form the Commission which will be chaired by Chief Executive of the Carnegie UK Trust Martyn Evans.
The other members include director of BT Scotland, Brendan Dick and John Dickie, director in Scotland of the Child Poverty Action Group.
Dr Jim McCormick of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation will act as a special advisor to the Commission and Fife Council’s Chief Executive Steve Grimmond will attend Commission meetings.
The Commission’s aim is to take a strategic overview of the scale, scope and nature of poverty in Fife and how effectively it’s being tackled.It will focus attention on issues including financial capability, welfare advice, transport links, employability skills, childcare provision, early years, educational attainment, health inequalities, housing and homelessness and addressing stigma.
Cllr Ross said: "I’m hugely encouraged by the calibre and expertise of the people who have agreed to become involved in the Commission and I’d like to thank each one of them for their commitment to helping in the fight against poverty."
Chair of the new Commission Martyn Evans commented: "I am delighted to have been asked to chair the Commission as it undertakes its important and challenging task.
"Poverty and a lack of opportunity continues to blight too many of our communities. The Commission brings together a very wide range of expertise and this is critical as it is only by working together that we can tackle these complex, deep-rooted issues. I am looking forward to getting started."