The WLGA Regeneration Team is working with the WAG Community Directorate and the contracted support organisations, WCVA and ‘Empower’, to ensure that:
- local authorities, local strategic partnerships and Communities First Partnerships are able to work together to optimise the opportunities that the Programme offers to Community First communities in Wales; and
- a local government perspective is taken into account in planning any new community regeneration activity in Wales.
Funding
At the Communities First Annual Conference in October 2010, the Minister indicated that there would be some continuation of funding for community development and engagement in deprived areas of Wales after the cessation of the current Communities First programme in March 2012 – “a commitment to supporting deprived areas”. However, as of March 2011, the nature of the support and details of this funding are not known.
Outcomes Fund
The Outcomes Fund runs until the end of March 2012 and funding is still available to local Communities First Partnerships. All applications have to show matched funding availability.
At a national level, the Welsh Assembly Government Community Directorate Team is matching the Outcomes Fund with other strategic funding to achieve a more strategic approach to community action and engagement, as follows:
- Local Service Boards – to work with the LSBs on the public engagement and community development – ‘Making the Connections’ agenda – matching ESF priority 4 funds;
- NEETS – working with DCeLLS and WVCA on intermediate labour markets, matching ESF and WAG funding to create opportunities for up to 26 weeks work in community and social enterprises;
- Job Centre Plus – an on-going project to boost employment in Communities First areas; and
- NAW Sponsored Bodies – on-going work to create opportunities to jointly fund and jointly work in/with Communities First areas/partnerships – e.g. Higher Education Funding Council, National Museum for Wales.
Evaluations
Evaluations of both the Outcomes Fund and of the current Communities First Support contracts/mechanisms are on-going. Final reports on these are due in May 2011. The WAG Communities Directorate Team is due to report back to the Public Accounts Committee on progress on Communities First in March 2011.
For more information contact: Lowri Gwilym