Minister sets out his vision for Communities First

Local Government and Communities Minister, Carl Sargeant outlined how the Welsh Government will continue to support Wales’ most deprived areas when the new Communities First programme begins in April 2012.

Speaking at the programme’s annual conference the Minister praised those involved in delivering Communities First and said that despite working in uncertain and testing times, the current programme was delivering positive change in Wales’ most disadvantaged communities.

The Minister said:

"As we shape the way forward for the Communities First Programme, the Welsh Government is committed to building on what has already been achieved.  I also recognise that it is important that we take time to listen to people’s views before moving forward.  We have done this through an initial analysis of the 300 plus responses to out recent consultation on the programme.

"As well as building on the achievements of the current programme, I want the next phase of Communities First to be clearly seen as a community-focussed Anti - Poverty programme.  All projects will need to demonstrate how the Welsh Government’s investment supports the programme’s aim of tackling poverty.  Any work that does not support this aim will not be funded by Communities First.    
 
"In addition to delivering on our Anti-Poverty agenda, the new programme will focus on good governance and community involvement.  Our funding will be channelled through Lead Delivery Bodies (LDBs) for a Cluster Area, with Regional Boards overseeing the work.  Many existing Grant Recipient Bodies can become LDBs but all will need to pass stringent checks and demonstrate their commitment to community involvement.

"It is important that that the community’s voice is heard.  To this end, each Cluster will need to develop a Plan to increase community involvement, especially among people most affected by poverty.  Only by putting citizens at the heart of our services can we make a real difference to people’s lives and build resilience into communities."

The Minister also highlighted that those working with the programme will need to collaborate with others. He added:

"I am already working closely with other Welsh Ministers to join up our policies and programmes and to explore how we can build on what is already happening.

"A good example is the Integrated Children’s Centre Pilot, where working with Job Centre Plus we have helped over 100 workless families back into work.  Looking forward, one of the Welsh Government’s five key commitments is to provide 500 additional Police Community Support Officers.  I will be looking for these officers to interact with Communities First since their deployment is firmly grounded in a community engagement approach to policing.

"In conclusion, I am committed to Communities First and to ensuring that strong governance and community involvement are at the heart of the new programme.  By working together I am sure that we can tackle our anti poverty agenda and deliver for our poorest communities and individuals."