Barking has a range of needs. Described by its council leader as “a bit of the North in the South and part of a fast-changing East End,” it has the highest proportion of deprived households in the country, the third-highest proportion of people living in council or social housing and it’s seen a 41% increase in incidences of homelessness over the past 10 years.
Since 2011, it also has 20,000 more children as part of a 17% population increase.
One of the reasons for the population uptick is the need for affordable housing. Barking and Dagenham is the cheapest place to live in London combining rent and house prices, according to Rightmove.
And the pinch is being felt already. A much-valued community centre, known locally just as the Warehouse, closed its doors in December. The Warehouse offered free upskilling workshops, with free use of a ceramics studio, a fabric workshop and a silk screen printing studio, providing free training and career prospects for the community.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx0jj08vdygo
