Issues and SWOT: Dartford

strength

Make the completed public spaces work for residents

Earlier town-centre improvements include pedestrian space and crossings.

Their usefulness can now be checked through everyday access.

Evidence

strength

Bring support closer to people in poor health

3.8% of people reported bad or very bad health in Dartford council area (21 March 2021). Across England, the figure was 5.2%. People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 0.7% in Bridge to 5.9% in Princes — a gap of 5.2 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.

weakness

Separate progress on Greenhithe’s building from access to care

The land is secured but the medical centre still needs further delivery decisions.

Residents should not be told new appointments already exist.

Evidence

weakness

Make room for homes people can afford

Average private rent is £1,575 a month (August 2026) in Dartford council area. This is £116 higher than the England average for the same month. Homes rented privately ranged from 6.1% in Joyden's Wood to 33.6% in Burnham — a gap of 27.5 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 Stone’s recreation allocation into usable improvements

Funding has been allocated to the recreation ground.

The next question is what residents can use and when.

Evidence

opportunity

Plan homes and care around an older population

13.7% of people in Dartford council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021). People aged 65 or over ranged from 1.6% in Bridge to 29.6% in Joyden's Wood — a gap of 28 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

Connect local skills to local opportunities

32.4% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or equivalent (21 March 2021) in Dartford council area. Across England, the figure was 33.9%. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 6.2% in Bridge to 22.3% in Temple Hill — a gap of 16.1 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.

opportunity

Target safety work where problems repeat

Mapped police records are available for neighbourhoods in Dartford 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 4.1% in Bridge to 27.5% in Temple Hill — a gap of 23.4 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 access during the remaining street works

Spital Street works and later junction phases affect central routes.

Poorly explained diversions can make shops and services harder to reach.

Evidence