News

Heavy hints that the government might allocate funds for every deprived area in the country to help them develop a local strategic partnership have been welcomed by the new voluntary sector minister.

Home Office minister Fiona Mactaggart told delegates at a conference held last week by regeneration umbrella body Urban Forum that LSPs were crucial to the empowerment of local people.

At present, only the country's 88 most deprived neighbourhoods receive money from the community empowerment fund (CEF), aimed at helping the voluntary and community sector to become involved in LSPs. Those areas outside the 88 are struggling to establish LSPs because of resource constraints.


But an official at the Home Office's active community unit has suggested that the intention of "mainstreaming CEF", included in the Treasury's voluntary sector cross-cutting review, could see the fund extended beyond the 88 most deprived areas.

He suggested that the 2005 spending review would be the "obvious time" to introduce any such change.

In her first major speech since taking over the voluntary sector brief last month, Mactaggart said she was "really reassured" that the government was committed to making sure the Home Office was not "just a police arm" of government.

Meanwhile, regional development agency Yorkshire Forward has already set up a steering group to examine the feasibility of providing the CEF to all areas.

It has employed consultants to carry out research into the 12 districts it covers that are currently not eligible for the cash.

Neighbourhood renewal and LSP development co-ordinator at the Yorkshire and Humber regional forum, Alison Crouch, said: "The idea is to mirror the CEF so that these areas can set up networks and get involved in the LSP. That is the sole aim of the steering group."


The conference followed chancellor Gordon Brown's announcement in his progress report on the 2005 spending review released earlier this month of a second voluntary sector review to "build upon and reinforce" last September's key recommendations.

The new review will examine and learn lessons from selected public services where the voluntary and community sector can and do add value, and explore the existing relationship between the sector and the state at central and local level.

The services will be selected from five categories: health and social care, crime and community cohesion, education and employment, housing and homelessness and children and families.