Councillors have called for more government funding for a 'forgotten' part of Stoke-on-Trent.

Norton and Ball Green are among the most deprived areas of the Potteries but have not seen the same investment as similar neighbourhoods, ward councillor Dave Evans said.

Meir North and Bentilee are each set to receive £20 million of government funding through the Pride in Place programme, aimed at regenerating left-behind communities.

But Cllr Evans says Norton and Ball Green has been continually overlooked by such schemes under successive governments, due to its small size and proximity to more affluent areas.

Elected members at Stoke-on-Trent City Council have now voted in favour of Cllr Evans' motion calling for the government to address this. Conservative Cllr Evans described it as a 'friendly', non-partisan motion.

While Labour councillors backed the motion, they insisted that the areas' problems had been made worse due to austerity. Cllr Evans believes Norton and Ball Green has suffered due to politics in general rather than any particular party.

Dave Evans said: "We've struggled in Norton and Ball Green. We don't have a lot of community facilities. There's a real challenge in terms of the demographics of the area, as there are elsewhere in the city.

"The challenge that has arisen is one of politics and decision-making. Governments, of whatever colour, will give money for pilot schemes. We want to make sure the money is spent wisely, and the maximum number of residents get the impact.

"That naturally draws these programmes to areas of higher population, as the more people there are the easier it is to evidence what you've done and get more money from government.

"The problem that Norton and Ball Green has is that it's smaller, in terms of population, so it doesn't necessarily get the pilot programmes that other areas of the city get, like Abbey Hulton, Bentilee or Chell."

Cllr Evans said the council's Strengthening Communities partnership with voluntary groups is doing 'good work' in the area.

But he argued that the area received much less third sector grant funding than other parts of the city due to the lack of infrastructure such as community facilities.

Cllr Evans added: "I'm from Ball Green – the top of South Street – and I grew up there. I know the challenges that community has. Frankly, I'd give my left arm for them to get £20 million.

"They deserve to be remembered and supported, and right now that hasn't happened. For justifiable reasons, sadly, but it's not OK that it's been forgotten."

The motion calls on council leader Jane Ashworth to write to the government to ask for funding for Ball Green and Norton. It also asks Stoke-on-Trent North MP David Williams to lobby the government for his constituency to receive the same funding as Stoke-on-Trent Central and Stoke-on-Trent South – both of which have awarded Pride in Place grants.

Labour councillors said they would support the motion, but were keen to link the issues seen in Ball Green and Norton to the austerity policies of Conservative-led governments, which had seen cuts to children's centres, police posts and bus services.

Labour cabinet member Duncan Walker, who also represents the Baddley, Milton and Norton ward, said: "It's worth noting that social deprivation and a lack of infrastructure in these areas haven't just happened. It's been escalating as a direct consequence of austerity – we cannot forget that.

"I'm not going to say this is solely the fault of the Conservatives. But you have to remember that back in 2010 the Liberal Democrats were the cheerleaders of austerity. And as a consequence, the most vulnerable in society suffered.

"Our administration certainly recognises the level of need in Norton and Ball Green, and we've doing our very best to improve the areas through the Strengthening Communities programme and improved bus services."

Cllr Evans welcomed the support for his motion but warned that a 'partisan attitude' would see the problems in Norton and Ball Green continue.