One in four children deprived

The high level of deprivation among the under-16s is suffered by those who live in the Hotham ward. This stretches from Felpham Way to Shripney Road and Longford Road and along the beach from the Hotham Arts Centre to Longbrook.

The area contains 220 youngters in low income households. This is equal to a staggering 27.2per cent of the total number of children in the area.

The proportion is much worse than the 21.3 per cent child deprivation level nationally and well over double the 12.5 per cent around West Sussex.

The estimated net weekly household income in Hotham is 320, after housing costs, according to Office of National Statistics figures. Pevensey ward was close behind for deprivation. Exactly 24 per cent, or slightly less than one in four u-16s, live in low income households.

Only slightly better was Marine ward at 22.5 per cent of deprived children with Orchard ward '“ Linden Road to north of Orchard Way '“ having a level of 20.7 per cent childhood deprivation. Bersted also registers a high level of poverty among youngsters at 21.3 per cent.

In all, the statistics show 1,306 under-16s who are enduring a poverty-stricken start to life.

The information is contained in the latest electoral ward profiles released by Arun District Council. They are compiled from information gathered by the council, West Sussex County Council and the West Sussex NHS Primary Care Trust.

The damning amount of deprivation shows how deprived the areas around Bognor town centre in national terms. They are significantly worse than the county average for deprivation and also leave the south east England average far behind.

This appallingly widespread amount of low incomes present huge challenges to the newly elected members of the district and town councils.

The effects of the day-to-day existence of those in poverty are seen by the advisors at Bognor Regis Citizens' Advice Bureau.

Diana Sparrow, one of its session supervisors, said the biggest group of children in poverty in the town was probably those of single parents but many causes existed among young people.

Low wage families received no help with their mortgages even if they had been given housing benefit for their rent. 'This problem is compounded by the high level of council tax families have to pay in this area,' she stated.

'Working tax credit over-payments have caused huge problems for many individual families. This has led to a knock-on effect where many families are now afraid to claim as they have seen the problems faced by their friends.

'The school uniform grants were withdrawn by West Sussex County Council from April 1, 2006, to cause additional financial pressure on low income families.'

At the other end of the wealth scale, unsurprisingly, are neighbourhoods such as Aldwick East '“ 6.4 per cent of children in low income households '“ and Walberton at 8.2 per cent.