An action plan has been drawn up in a bid to stamp out high numbers of people living in poverty in Maryport and Workington.

The new strategy is set to be adopted by Allerdale Council next week and aims to reduce the spiralling numbers of suffering residents.

Topping the list of the worst-hit wards in the borough is Ewanrigg, followed closely by Workington's Moss Bay and Ellenborough in Maryport – all ranking in the top 10 per cent of most deprived areas in England.

Ewanrigg and Moss Bay also rate high in child poverty and residents who don't have any qualifications.

And South Workington and parts of Maryport fall into the worst 20 per cent nationally for pensioners living in poverty.

But there are hopes that new measures will help tackle the problem.

At a council meeting next week a draft strategy will hopefully be given the seal of approval by the ruling executive.

Ewanrigg councillor Carni McCarron-Holmes called it a worrying situation, saying the area has tried for more than two decades to rid itself of the "poverty tag."

"Ideally it needs more local employment – due to the low figures of car owners," she added.

"We have young people travelling as far as Annan to work in a fish processing factory – that shows how keen they are for work.

"Residents are tremendous and stoic but a clear recognition from Government that West Cumbria needs help would be best. Give Ewanrigg a good cause and the residents will rise and support, despite low incomes and this dreadful title 'poverty'."

There are a number of activities taking place on the estate, however, to boost its profile and help needy residents.

Ewanrigg Local Trust was given £1 million of Big Lottery funding to spend over 10 years helping to alleviate poverty and raise aspirations on the estate.

And credit union representatives attend weekly coffee and crack sessions at Ewanrigg Community Centre for people to sign up or make deposits.

Carole Armstrong, councillor for Moss Bay, said she's not surprised that the area has been ranked as one of the most poverty-stricken and hopes the new action plan will have positive results.

"There's a lot we need to do," she said. "We have got no industry – there seems to be a lot of people on benefits and everything has been taken away. If you look around Moss Bay, there's nothing there and people have lost heart in everything."

Mrs Armstrong remembers a few years ago when the South Workington Partnership was set up in the Frostoms estate, boosting the morale of people.

Although the credit union is still present, along with a weekly bingo session, there is little else happening, she says.

"Hopefully this new strategy will change things," she said. "There's a lot of good people down there who have fantastic big hearts and who can do great things – they just need a bit of leadership."

Included in Allerdale Council's draft strategy is an action plan which has a long-list of ways to help residents.

Examples are supporting people on low incomes to access training to build skills and confidence; providing advice and support around debt advise and promoting safe sources of credit; the continued support of food banks; supporting food growing initiatives; and delivering safe and warm grants to vulnerable or low-income households.

Council leader Alan Smith said: "I would love to eradicate poverty in our area tomorrow . However, unfortunately this isn't going to happen quite so easily.

"So this council, under my leadership, has prioritised setting out a strategic approach to dealing with the issue and helping those affected by it – and that includes those in low-paid jobs.

"A lot of work has gone into how best we can do this, and I'd like to thank all those officers and fellow councillors for their efforts. We've done a lot to help people already - the Big Switch to cut energy bills, improving the time taken to process benefit claims, and support for the credit union and the foodbank.

"However, this strategy which will go before the executive for consideration next week, sets out a clear path for how we can do more to help those in poverty."

The executive meets on Wednesday morning to discuss the draft Tackling Poverty Strategy.