About Bexley

[Aerial view of Bexley borough] Bexley lies within the south-east corner of Greater London, with good transport links to central London, the Kent countryside and the coast. The borough covers 23 square miles, stretching from the Thames in the north to the county of Kent in the south. It is made up of different neighbourhoods: Belvedere, Thamesmead, Erith, Slade Green, Welling, Sidcup, Crayford, Foots Cray, Blackfen, Bexleyheath and Bexley, each with its own distinct history and identity. Although much of the borough is developed, there are also more than 90 parks and woodland areas, making it one of the greenest boroughs in London.

218,000 people live in the borough, 60% of whom are of working age and a sixth are of a school age. Around 8% of local people are from minority ethnic communities. 50,000 residents work outside Bexley, although the borough itself has around 68,000 jobs, with Belvedere the second largest manufacturing area in the capital. Unemployment is relatively low - almost half the London average, although there are pockets of unemployment in some parts in the north of the borough. These area and some in the south suffer from comparatively high levels of disadvantage and deprivation.

Bexley recently became the second safest borough in London in terms of recorded crime. Educational attainment at GCSE is above the national average and, generally, it is a healthy place - people are living longer and enjoying more years without illness or disability.

There is an active and growing voluntary and community sector which is highly valued by local people and there is a strong tradition of successful partnership working.

Bexley Council has high levels of resident satisfaction and the Audit Commission, the local government watchdog, rated it as excellent - one of only 26 local authorities in England. Its Social Services and environmental management have also been nationally recognised.

Census 2001 information about Bexley

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