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The seaside town of Jaywick has been announced as the most deprived neighbourhood in England for the third time in nearly 10 years.

Found in Clacton-on-Sea, the area topped the list curated by the UK government, which looked at over 30,000 neighbourhoods and areas across the country.

It was the only southern area to be included in the top ten, with eight of the top ten areas sitting within Blackpool and the other area being in Liverpool.

It also topped the list in both 2010 and 2015 - so nearly 10 years later, what is being done?

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government looked at an area's income, employment, crime, education, health, housing and local environment.

The council has vowed to regenerate the area but claims that public sector funding is very limited.

Councillor Paul Honeywood, the Tendring district council member with special responsibilty has reacted to today's news.

He said: "While not ideal, the deprivation label opens up funding and investment opportunities and a focus from other agencies that otherwise would be tougher to get, so it is not all bad.

"We are in this for the long-term, and appreciate there may be some who question why this part of Jaywick has been there for the last three indices.

"However, the issues in Jaywick are complex and if they were easy to fix they would have been solved years ago.

“We, working with our partners and the community, are doing a lot of work to address issues of deprivation, with initiatives across the short, medium and long-term. The Jaywick Sands Coastal Community Team brings together ourselves, Essex County Council, Government, community representatives and key organisations such as the Environment Agency and Homes England."

What else is being done?

Cllr Honeywood continued: "“Short-term initiatives include action days tackling things such as fly-tipping and rogue waste carriers, and supporting the ongoing work of Dig4Jaywick and other community projects.

“Medium-term we are currently building ten new homes in the area, along with an electricity sub-station to support future growth, and have bought and demolished derelict eyesore sites to promote positive development.

“Long-term we are working with the Environment Agency to assess what flood resilience measures would be needed in the future and examining masterplan options for the area. We are also working with Government and the Housing and Finance Institute to look at what tweaks could be made to the housing market to support more speedy renewal of poor quality homes – this would allow us to do so much more."

Gill Elkins MBE, the Secretary of the Jaywick Sands Community Forum, also claimed that the town was "not deprived".

"We have got so much going for us in Jaywick Sands that though the numbers might label us as deprived, we’re not,” she said.

"Yes we appreciate it doesn’t make us look good, but we have a fantastic community, one of the most beautiful beaches, and it is a wonderful place to live."

Last year, an image of the town was used in USA President Donald Trump's midterm election campaign to suggest how dilapidated the US could become without him as President.

Jaywick was the subject of a 2015 documentary called Benefits By The Sea which told the stories of those who lived within it.

As well as Jaywick, a more central neighbourhood of Clacton-on-Sea featured in the bottom twenty most deprived areas in England.

Most of the areas sit within in the north of England.