Switch focus of funding, says study

Regional Development Agencies’ targets should be changed to ensure
they adequately support the voluntary and community sectors in
regenerating communities, according to Urban Forum research.

Projects previously funded by the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB)
are missing out on funding managed by the agencies, argues the
study by the umbrella body for community and voluntary
groups.

The agencies have an economic regeneration bias and believe social
regeneration is the responsibility of other bodies, the study says.

In April 2002, the SRB was merged with 10 other funding streams
into a single pot managed by the agencies. While the SRB will be
phased out this year, the report calls for more cash to ensure that
its programmes are given time to transfer to new funding
arrangements.

Other recommendations include the mapping of regeneration activity
that will be lost when the SRB funding runs out, and a proper role
for the voluntary and community sectors in decision making at
regional level.

– Out of the SRB, into the Pot from www.urbanforum.org.uk/srb_project.html