SINePost newsletter - September 2015

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In this issue ...

1. Parents' Country of Birth statistics
2. Local Area Migration Indicators
3. Housebuilding figures
4. New Housing Statistics Portal
5. Monthly Business Bulletin
6. Local Area Walking and Cycling statistics
7. Area Classifications and 'Statistical Neighbours'
8. Fire Statistics Monitoring
9. Internet Access survey
10. Transport statistics: Taxis and private hire vehicles
11. Indices of Deprivation 2015 publication
12. Forthcoming Statistical Releases

1. Parents’ Country of Birth statistics

One in eight births in Somerset are to mothers born outside the UK according to latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Numbers have more than doubled in the last decade, largely as a result of increases in mothers from ‘New EU’ countries (those that joined the European Union after 2004).

Of the 671 Somerset babies born to non-UK mothers during 2014, a total of 569 where to mothers born in Europe (of which 322 were ‘new EU’ countries); 110 were to mothers from the Middle East and Asia; 46 from Africa; and 56 from the rest of the world.

At a district level, Taunton Deane saw the highest rate of mothers born outside the UK (13.5%) and West Somerset the lowest (6.7%). Nationally, more than one in four babies (28%) are born to non-UK born mothers.

For more details, see: www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/parents--country-of-birth--england-and-wales/2014/index.html

2.  Local Area Migration Indicators

The ONS has updated its indicator suite of local authority migration-related data, which includes figures on international and internal migration, non-UK born populations, NINo registrations and migrant GP registrations: www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/migration1/migration-indicators-suite/2014/index.html

As of 2014:

• 6.6% of Somerset residents were estimated to have been born outside the UK (nationally, the rate was 14.1%).
• 4.6% of Somerset residents were non-British nationals (nationally, it was 9.0%).
• The rate of Migrant NINo (National Insurance Number) registrations was 9 per 1,000 working-age population in Somerset, compared to 20 per 1,000 nationally.

3. Housebuilding figures

A total of 2,140 new dwellings were completed in Somerset during 2014/15 according to figures published by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). This represented an increase on the 1,850 dwellings completed in 2013/14 and 1,930 dwellings in 2012/13.

Of the new homes built in 2014/15, around 80% were built through private enterprise and 20% through housing associations.

Taunton Deane saw the biggest growth (580 new dwellings), followed by South Somerset (560), Mendip (460), Sedgemoor (410) and West Somerset (130).

For further details, see: www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building (Table 253).

4. New Housing Statistics Portal

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has developed a central portal bringing together a range of official statistics and analysis on housing from ONS and across government: www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/regional-analysis/housing-statistics-portal/housing-summary-measures/index.html

The portal includes 15 ‘Housing Summary Measures’ which give a broad picture of housing availability and affordability at local authority district level. Current findings for Somerset include:

• In terms of affordability, the ratio of median house price to median gross salary is 9.7 in Mendip, 8.9 in South Somerset and 8.7 in Taunton Deane. Latest figures are not currently available for Sedgemoor and West Somerset.
• In relation to the private rental sector, median monthly rent in Somerset is around 35% of median gross monthly salary. This is a lower proportion than in the South West region as a whole (37%) but higher than the England figure (32%).

5. Monthly Business Bulletin

The number of businesses in Somerset rose to 30,735 in August 2015, an increase of 142 on the previous month, according to the latest Somerset Monthly Business Bulletin: www.somersetintelligence.org.uk/business/

According to the bulletin, ‘production and manufacturing’ continues to be the largest industry sector (a total of 3,465 businesses), followed by wholesale and retail (a total of 3,414 businesses).

6. Local Area Walking and Cycling statistics

An increasing proportion of adults in Somerset are taking part in regular walking or cycling according to figures published by the Department for Transport: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-area-walking-and-cycling-in-england-2013-to-2014

In 2013/14 an estimated 50% of adults in Somerset walked at least five times per week (for at least 10 minutes, for any purpose), up from 45% in 2012/13. The increase was largely driven by increases within South Somerset and Mendip.

In 2013/14 an estimated 4% of Somerset residents cycled at least five times per week, up from 3% in 2012/13. Taunton Deane continues to have the highest proportion of regular cyclists of any Somerset district.

7. Area Classifications and ‘Statistical Neighbours’

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released an updated ‘Area Classification for Local Authorities’, using 2011 Census data to identify groups of local authority districts which have common key characteristics - sometimes referred to as 'statistical neighbours'.

According to the data, Mendip is most similar to Shropshire; Sedgemoor to Newark and Sherwood; South Somerset to Herefordshire; Taunton Deane to St. Edmundsbury; and West Somerset to North Norfolk. A total of five ‘statistical neighbours’ are provided for each local authority district.

See: www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/geography/products/area-classifications/ns-area-classifications/index.html

8. Fire Statistics Monitoring

In 2014/15, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service (DSFRS) attended 4,257 fires in Devon and Somerset according to provisional figures published by the DCLG. Numbers of fires continue to decline and are now at less than half the level they were in 2001/02.

There were 919 accidental dwelling fires recorded by the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service during 2014/15. This figure was 6% lower than the previous year and 17% lower than ten years ago.

See: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fire-statistics-monitor-april-2014-to-march-2015

9. Internet Access Survey

The ONS has published its latest assessment of national household internet access and use, based on interviews with around 3,000 households nationally: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/rdit2/internet-access---households-and-individuals/2015/index.html

Findings include:

• Almost all adults aged 16 to 24 accessed the internet “on the go”, compared with only 29% of those aged 65 years and over.
• One third of adults (33%) used the internet to obtain information from public authorities or services websites.
• In the last three months, 8% of adults took part in an online consultation or voted on a civil or political issue (with the 35-44 age group three times more likely to do so than the 65+ group).

10. Transport Statistics: Taxis and private hire vehicles

The number of licensed taxi and private hire vehicles in Somerset increased by 16% to 1,083 between 2013 and 2015 according to figures published by the Department for Transport. This was the highest number of licensed vehicles since comparable records were first collected in 2005.

The number of wheelchair accessible taxis in Somerset has increased from 99 in 2005 to 203 in 2015, meaning that an estimated 26% are now wheelchair accessible. This proportion is well below the national rate (58%), which is driven up by 100% ratios many larger cities, notably London.

See: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/taxi-and-private-hire-vehicles-statistics-england-2015

11. Indices of Deprivation 2015 publication

The Department for Communities and Local Government have announced that the English Indices of Deprivation 2015 (and associated Index of Multiple Deprivation, IMD) – the official measure of local deprivation within England - will be published on 30^th September. This will represent the first update to the deprivation indices since 2011.

See: www.gov.uk/government/collections/english-indices-of-deprivation

12. Forthcoming Statistical Releases

The following are due for release at sub-regional geographies during September:

• The English Indices of Deprivation (IMD) 2015 (DCLG)
• Births by area of usual residence of mother in the UK: 2014 (ONS)
• Business register employment survey: 2014 provisional (ONS)
• Annual bus statistics; Year ending March 2015 (DfT)
• CCG Outcomes Indicator Set – September 2015 release (NHS)
• Winter Fuel Payment: caseload and household figures: financial year 2014 to 2015 (DWP)

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