VOTE: Are councils, the NHS and the government doing enough to tackle the shocking levels of child poverty in areas such as Littlehampton’s Ham ward?

The Campaign to End Child Poverty statistics reveal a child poverty rate of 34 per cent in Ham ward and 26 per cent in neighbouring River ward.

MP Nick Gibb’s Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency has the highest overall level of any constituency in the county, at 18 per cent.

Labour councillors on Arun District Council claimed the figures showed the poorest and youngest were being forced to “bear the burden of vast cuts” by the coalition government.

However, leader of the controlling Conservatives on Arun Gillian Brown said any suggestion that Arun cabinet members were only interested in helping children in their own wards, rather than the most deprived wards, was “outrageous”.

And senior Liberal Democrat Dr James Walsh hit back at Labour attacks on his party, pointing to important policies such as tax cuts for the lowest-paid and “Pupil Premium” payments to schools to help poorer families.

Children are officially said to be living in poverty if their family’s income is below 60 per cent of the national average.

For the full report see this week’s Littlehampton Gazette, out today (Thursday, January 19).

Are councils, the NHS and the government doing enough to tackle the shocking levels of child poverty in areas such as Littlehampton’s Ham ward, where one in three children are officially classed as living in poverty?

Cast your vote by clicking on the poll at the top right of this story.

Alternatively, have your say by commenting below or emailing [email protected].