Issues and SWOT: Brentwood

strength

Maintain the renewed pools and inclusive sessions

The pools reopened after six months of refurbishment.

Reliable facilities support lessons and regular activity.

Evidence

strength

Bring support closer to people in poor health

3.8% of people reported bad or very bad health in Brentwood council area (21 March 2021). Across England, the figure was 5.2%. People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 2.9% in Shenfield to 5% in Pilgrims Hatch — a gap of 2.1 percentage points.

This is how residents described their health in the census. It can reveal differences between neighbourhoods, but does not diagnose illness or measure current waiting times. Age profiles differ between places, so these shares do not measure service quality.

strength

Connect local skills to local opportunities

35.4% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or equivalent (21 March 2021) in Brentwood council area. Across England, the figure was 33.9%. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 9.7% in Shenfield to 20.9% in Pilgrims Hatch — a gap of 11.3 percentage points.

Qualifications show one part of the skills available locally. They do not show whether people have secure jobs or work that uses those skills.

weakness

Finish energy improvements already carried forward

Fryerning Lane work remains incomplete.

Households need clarity on when disruption ends and improvements work.

Evidence

weakness

Make room for homes people can afford

Average private rent is £1,620 a month (August 2026) in Brentwood council area. This is £161 higher than the England average for the same month. Homes rented privately ranged from 5.3% in Blackmore & Doddinghurst to 31.8% in Brentwood South — a gap of 26.5 percentage points.

Housing costs matter most alongside earnings and the number of affordable homes available. A local average cannot tell us whether a particular household can afford its home.

opportunity

Turn Brookfield construction into suitable affordable homes

Construction is underway at an existing housing site.

The right mix and dependable management matter after handover.

Evidence

opportunity

Plan homes and care around an older population

20.2% of people in Brentwood council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021). People aged 65 or over ranged from 13.6% in Brentwood West to 26.2% in Blackmore & Doddinghurst — a gap of 12.6 percentage points.

Age alone does not mean poor health or a need for care. Accessible homes, reliable transport and support close to home matter as people get older.

opportunity

Target safety work where problems repeat

Mapped police records are available for neighbourhoods in Brentwood council area.

Published locations are approximate and some crimes are not mapped. Counts show recorded incidents, not the chance of an individual becoming a victim.

opportunity

Turn published plans into visible progress

4 named local projects or plans have official evidence in this collection.

A published plan makes responsibilities and intentions easier to inspect. It does not prove that funding is secured or that promised benefits have arrived.

opportunity

Target support where disadvantages overlap

Households facing two or more measured disadvantages ranged from 8.8% in Shenfield to 16.9% in Pilgrims Hatch — a gap of 8.1 percentage points.

These households met at least two census conditions covering education, employment, health and housing. This is not an income or poverty measure.

threat

Protect residents during lift replacement

Lift renewal is planned in four council blocks.

Outages can restrict daily life for people unable to use stairs.

Evidence