Ward profiles 2010

Sowerby Bridge ward profile

Ward overview and map
Population
Households
Deprivation
Employment and unemployment
Contact details.

Alternatively, you can download the Sowerby Bridge Ward profile: Sowerby Bridge [PDF file 591KB]|

Ward overview

Sowerby Bridge ward is south-east of Halifax and lies mainly on the north side of the Calder valley. As well as the town of Sowerby Bridge it includes the residential areas of Willow Field, Pye Nest and Upper Washer Lane and the landmark of Wainhouse Tower. There is industrial development alongside the river Calder with retail and leisure facilities in Wharf Street and at the Rochdale Canal Basin, respectively. The railway station is close to the town centre and the ward is served by several important road routes.

This map is reproduced from or based upon Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings.

Population

Area and population summary

Sowerby Bridge occupies an area of 352 hectares, or 1.4 square miles. The total population, from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) mid-year estimate for 2007, is 11,136. This is made up of 49.0% males and 51.0% females. The population density is 31.6 persons per hectare, and the number of electors in the ward in December 2009 was 8,327.

Population structure

The ward's age profile is similar to the district as a whole, and has become slightly older since 2001.

The table and chart below show the age-structure of the population.

Population Structure
Age Group	Number in Ward	% in Ward	% in District
0 to 4	621	5.6	6.2
5 to 14	1,245	11.2	12.4
15 to 24	1,397	12.5	12.5
25 to 44	3,136	28.2	27.6
45 to 59	2,216	19.9	20.3
60 to 74	1,577	14.2	13.6
75 plus	944	8.5	7.4

Source: ONS 2007 mid-year estimates

Ethnicity

The ethnic group of the population, at the 2001 census, was nearly 98% white, considerably higher than the district as a whole.

Ethnicity
Ethnic group	Number in Ward	% in Ward	% in District
White	10,285	97.8	93.0
Asian	117	1.1	5.7
Black	18	0.2	0.2
Mixed	100	1.0	0.8
Chinese/Other	18	0.2	0.3

Source: 2001 Census

Country of birth

Of the 5.5% of the population born outside the UK, the largest number originate in Western Europe, followed by Asia.

Country of birth (2008)
Country	Number in Ward	% in Ward	% in District
UK	10,599	94.5	92.7
Other Western Europe	220	2.0	1.9
Eastern Europe	85	0.8	0.8
Africa	76	0.7	0.4
Asia	174	1.6	3.7
Other	58	0.5	0.4

Source: CACI Country of Birth files

The chart below illustrates the country of birth of the 5.5% of the population who originate outside the UK.

Pie chart showing place of birth of residents born outside the UK

Health

Life expectancy is very close to the district average. Male life expectancy has risen in recent years.

Age standardised mortality, for both under 65s and under 75s is slightly higher than the district and national rates.

Health
Long-term Illness (%)	Ward	District
People with a long-term illness	19.0	18.4
Life Expectancy (years)	Ward	District
Male life expectancy 2006 to 2008 (years)	77.0	77.1
Female life expectancy 2006 to 2008 (years)	81.4	81.5
Standardised Mortality Ratio (SMR)^*	Ward	District
(SMR) all causes 2004-08 for age <65	107.0	105.4
(SMR) all causes 2004-08 for age <75	110.7	106.5

Sources: Long term illness: 2001 census, all other indicators: NHS Calderdale

^*SMR (Standardised Mortality Rate) is the ratio of the observed to the expected level of mortality and takes account of the area's age profile. 100 is the national average, so numbers above 100 are worse, below 100 better, than average.

The table and chart below show the change in life expectancy for males and females in Sowerby Bridge Ward between 2001-2003 and 2006-2008,

Changes in life expectancy at birth
Year	Male	Female
2001-2003	75.3	81.8
2006-2008	77.0	81.4

Source: NHS Calderdale

Bar chart comparing life expectancy in the ward over two time periods

Households

There are a total of 5,222 households in the ward, estimated from the number of occupied dwellings. The average household size is 2.1 persons.

Council Tax Banding

Properties in Council Tax Band A exceed the overall Calderdale figure, and fewer properties are in Bands D to H.

Council Tax Banding
Band	Number in Ward	% in Ward	% in District
A	2,988	57.2	46.9
B	1,005	19.2	19.2
C	790	15.1	16.4
D	199	3.8	7.7
E	131	2.5	5.5
F	72	1.4	3.0
G and H	37	0.7	1.4

Source: Calderdale Council Chargeable dwellings 2009 (occupied dwellings)

Bar chart comparing Council Tax in the ward and Calderdale

Household incomes

Comparing household income in 2009 with 2003, a shift can be seen from lower to higher incomes. The distribution very closely mirrors the district average.

Household incomes 2009
Income band (£)	% in Ward	% in District
0 - 10,000	8.8	8.1
10 - 15,000	11.3	10.5
15 - 20,000	13.2	12.5
20 - 30,000	24.4	23.3
30 - 40,000	17.3	17.0
40 - 50,000	10.6	11.0
over 50,000	14.3	17.7

Source: CACI Paycheck 2009

Bar chart comparing household incomes in the ward and Calderdale

The following three tables are all taken from 2001 census data and cannot currently be updated. They show that the main ways in which Sowerby Bridge Ward differs from Calderdale overall are:

numbers of households with children somewhat below the district average but numbers of pensioners and one-person households above average
owner occupation well above average and very low levels of social housing
relatively high numbers of households without central heating and slightly low car ownership rates.

Household composition
Type	Number in Ward	% in Ward	% in District
2+ adults and dependent child(ren)	1,032	22.1	24.1
Lone parent and dependent child(ren)	280	6.0	6.6
2+ all pensioners	431	9.2	8.8
One pensioner	759	16.2	15.0
Other 1-person	817	17.5	15.5
Others	1,361	29.1	30.1

Source: 2001 census

Tenure
Type	Number in Ward	% in Ward	% in District
Owner occupied	3,323	79.9	71.5
Social housing	858	7.1	16.9
Private rented / Other	499	10.7	11.6

Source: 2001 census

Household amenities
Amenity	Number in Ward	% in Ward	% in District
Overcrowded	343	7.3	7.0
No central heating	1,132	24.2	19.3
No car	1,585	33.9	31.0
2+ cars	944	20.2	25.3

Source: 2001 census

Deprivation

Rates of benefits claimants, fuel poverty and Pension Credit are close to the Calderdale average.

Out of 7 areas in Sowerby Bridge ward, none was in the worst 10% nationally on the Index of Multiple Deprivation, and 1 was in the worst 11-20%. The deprived area is around Quarry Hill.

Deprivation
Indicator	Number in Ward	% in Ward	% in District
Households with Benefit Claimants	1,120	21.4	21.3
Households claiming Free School Meals	135	2.6	3.3
Households affected by fuel poverty (2003)	283	5.4	6.5
Pension Credit recipients May 2009*	525	20.8	22.8
Indices of Deprivation 2007	Number	%	%
People in 10% most deprived areas nationally	0	0.0	9.7
People in quite deprived areas (11-20%) nationally	1,301	12.0	11.5

Sources: CMBC Safer and Stronger Communities, Benefits Service, English Housing Conditions Survey, Department of Work and Pensions.

*Percentage is of 60+ population

Employment and unemployment

Unemployment

The number of people unemployed and claiming benefit was 181 in January 2006 and 387 in January 2010. This represented a rise from 2.8% of the working age population (just above both district and national figures) to 5.6% in 2010. The gap has widened between Sowerby Bridge and the district figure (now 5.1%) and the national figure ( now 4.3%). Changes since 2006 are illustrated in the table and chart below.

Claimants as % of Working-age Population
Month	Sowerby Bridge	Calderdale	UK
January 2006	2.8	2.6	2.5
July 2006	2.6	2.8	2.5
January 2007	2.9	2.9	2.5
July 2007	2.5	2.6	2.2
January 2008	2.2	2.4	2.3
July 2008	2.8	2.8	2.3
January 2009	4.5	4.1	3.4
July 2009	5.6	5.1	4.1
January 2010	5.6	5.1	4.3

Source: Department of Works and Pensions

Graph comparing percentage claimants in the ward, Calderdale and the UK

The 2008 - 2009 Annual Population Survey showed that 7.7% of the economically active population of 5,700 were unable to find jobs, ,just above the district figure of 7.6%.

Employment

The data on this page is about employment at workplaces in Sowerby Bridge Ward. Just over 40% of those working here live in this or Ryburn Ward.

Almost half those working here are employed in the Finance Sector, far above the district average. Employment rose 10% between 2006 and 2008.

Employment
Sector	Number in Ward	% in Ward	% in District
Manufacturing	500	12	19
Construction & Utlilities	200	4	5
Distribution, Hotels & Restaurants	800	19	22
Banking, Finance & Insurance	2,100	46	25
Other Services including Transport	300	6	8
Public Services	600	13	21

Source: Annual Business Inquiry 2008

Pie charts comparing employment sectors in the ward and Calderdale

Looking in more detail at the change from 2006 to 2008 in employment by sector, as illustrated in the chart below, an overall increase in the ward of 500 jobs is attributable to increases of 300 in Distribution, Hotels & Restaurants, and of 100 in both Banking, Finance & Insurance and in Public Services. The other sectors (Manufacturing, Construction and Utilities, and Other Services including Transport) have remained about the same.