Reginald Barrington wrote:"but have not even got a regular PCSO, not even a decent play area for kids"
I quote your own post Sheila but please I meant it tongue in cheek and appreciate both wards are deprived, the difference being the level of social housing.
Very few grants will go to areas that are predominately filled with privately owned properties regardles of the residents that reside in them.
If private investors were to invest in leisure facilities (independent cafes, coffee shops etc.) In priory ward the resident demographic would improve, if they did that in a predominately social housing area there would be no change other than in the level of resentment and vandalism.
And if the resident demographic improved, private investors would invest in leisure facilities (independent cafes, coffee shops etc.) See Whitstable/Deal etc + most hipster boroughs in London.