08/04/2003

UK's deprived areas to benefit from £800m

Some of the most deprived areas in the UK are to be targeted for regeneration through an £800 million two-year funding package announced today by the Deputy Prime Minister.

The package will be shared out among 88 local authorities areas through the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund allocation.

Speaking at the Guardian/Observer 'New Agenda for British Housing' Conference, John Prescott said: "Already, we're turning around years of neglect that have blighted our most deprived neighbourhoods. Across the country, north and south, people are benefiting from efforts to reverse the spiral of decline in impoverished communities - to create places where people want to live not leave."

The Neighbourhood Renewal Fund was set up in 2001 to help local authorities and their partners to improve services and initiate regeneration in some of England's most deprived areas. The Fund is designed to deliver more jobs, better health services and housing, improved education and safer streets, for people in the 88 target areas.

The government highlighted projects in Greater Manchester, where outreach work on the streets has led to an 18% cut in recorded crime, as examples of what can be achieved through targeted funding.

The package is part of a total fund of £1.7 billion being invested between 2001 and 2006. This, said Mr Prescott, was "part of our drive to ensure that within 10 to 20 years - nobody is seriously disadvantaged by where they live".

The Deputy Prime Minister also launched the New Deal for Communities Annual Report 2001/2002 at the Guardian/Observer conference.

With the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, the £2 billion New Deal for Communities is part of the Deputy Prime Minister's Plan for Sustainable Communities – a £22 billion programme to create sustainable places in which to live and work.

(GMcG)

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