Less than half of public belief their neighbours, figures present
General Secretary of the Co-operative Party Joe Fortune raised concerns over Government figures showing just 41% felt many in their neighbourhood could be trusted
The Government has been urged to make communities that people feel proud to live in after it emerged less than half trust their own neighbours.
General Secretary of the Co-operative Party Joe Fortune raised concerns over Government figures showing just 41% felt many in their neighbourhood could be trusted, and only 69% said they chat with neighbours at least once a month.
The party said communities had suffered from more than a decade of disappearing spaces, with local pubs, swimming pools, libraries and youth clubs closing their doors.
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Official figures also showed 61% of people felt they belong “very strongly” or “fairly strongly” to their immediate neighbourhood – down from 63%, while 56% agreed that people in their area pull together to improve the neighbourhood – down from 62%.
Earlier this year research found that 500 public swimming pools have shut across England since 2010, with almost half closing their doors in the last five years.
Also this year the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) revealed that 35 pubs that were in last year’s Good Beer Guide have since been forced to shut.
Speaking to the Sunday Mirror ahead of the Co-operative Party’s annual conference this weekend, Mr Fortune said: “These numbers should worry us all. As a nation, we feel less connected, less trusting and empowered – and the consequences of that are playing out in communities across the country.
“Strong communities are united communities. If we want an antidote to the hate and division we’ve seen on the rise, using government policy to drive up community pride should be part of the solution.
“We want to see a national effort to turn the page on this decline. Reversing this downturn in community life and even driving up these numbers should be a priority for the government. “ Labour should be looking to leave behind stronger and more connected communities than the ones we found.
“We know Community Britain already exists. There are amazing projects up and down the country proving what communities are capable of. But many have done that work in spite of politics, rarely with proper support from the government.
“Strong communities are united communities. If we want an antidote to the hate and division we’ve seen on the rise, using government policy to drive up community pride should be part of the solution.”
