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More than a third of children in Twerton growing up in poverty

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A new report has shown that in some areas of Bath more than a third of children are growing up in poverty. The End Child Poverty Campaign has released the latest figures on the number of young people whose families are either living on unemployment benefits or are earning less than 60 per cent of the average household income. The picture across Bath and north east Somerset as a whole is generally quite positive compared to other parts of the country, with just 12 per cent of children in poverty. However, the report does highlight pockets of deprivation, with the Twerton ward having the highest figure in the district of 34 per cent, followed by Southdown with 25 per cent. Overall there are said to be 4,056 children across B&NES living in poverty. Councillor Simon Allen (Lib Dem, Radstock), Bath and North East Somerset Council's cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said the local authority was playing its part in tackling the problems. He said: "One child in poverty, is one child too many. However, where there is a child in poverty there is also a family in poverty. "In my role as chair of B&NES health and wellbeing board, one of our main priorities is in closing the opportunity gap between the richest and poorest." The End Child Poverty Campaign has used the publication of its report to call on the Government and councils to protect people on low income families when making decisions about welfare spending, in particular changes to council tax and housing benefit.

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