A new fund to boost community regeneration in some of the most deprived areas of Wales, worth at least £25 million over the next three years, has been announced by Labour's Deputy Minister for Regeneration, Leighton Andrews today.
The Outcomes Fund is the centrepiece of plans for the next phase of Communities First, the Assembly Government’s flagship community regeneration programme which was introduced by Labour in the Assembly 2001. Communities First partnerships will be able to bid for the funding but will need to demonstrate that their proposals will help deliver key Communities First priorities. They will also need to show that they are working in partnership with local public bodies and have engaged with local people in planning local services.
The overarching plans for the next phase of Communities First will give the programme a sharper focus on stimulating practical improvements to tackle poverty, contribute to wider regeneration initiatives and improving employability. They follow an extensive consultation process earlier in the year. The programme will continue to be called Communities First with some new initiatives called Communities First plus. It will also contain new measures to intervene in partnerships that are struggling to make an impact locally.
Leighton Andrews said: "I am pleased to be able to announce funding worth at least £25 million over the next three years for the new Communities First Outcomes Fund. I want the fund to have a significant impact on encouraging public bodies to ‘bend’ their services to meet the needs of Community First areas. The Outcomes Fund will play a key part in our plans for Communities First. I want Communities First areas to build on their success to date. In future the programme will be focused squarely on practical solutions to tackling poverty and supporting regeneration initiatives. I want to make sure that Communities First makes a significant difference to local communities and really adds value."
