The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has announced £12m of additional funding over the next four years to the District.  This is to deliver the Neighbourhood Renewal and Safer Stronger Communities Programmes. 

This funding will be incorporated into the new Local Area Agreement (LAA)- an agreement between the Government and local partners which sets out priorities, outcomes and related funding.

This specific funding will be used to deal with deprivation and liveability issues and will cut across the four blocks of the LAA.  These are:

• children and young people
• safer and stronger communities
• healthier communities and older people
• economic development and enterprise.

Neighbourhood Renewal Funding is already funding service improvements across the District.  Amongst the schemes funded are:

Neighbourhood Action - over the last three months almost £500,000 has been spent on environment and enforcement services including a rapid response service, clearing abandoned and untaxed vehicles, investigating fly-tipping incidents and issuing ASBOs and acceptable behviour contracts.

Intercept Project - which provides one to one counselling and support for victims of domestic abuse including mush needed recreational activities.  Anger mangement groups - one for men and one for women - started this month.

South East Wakefield Transport & Accessibility - a project providing three separate community buses, linking Havercroft, Ryhill and South Hiendley; South Kirkby, South Elmsall and Upton and Kinsley and Fitzwilliam.  The priority now is to increase the numbers of passengers using the three services.

Able - supporting recovering drug users to develop life and work skills by using blighted land at Calder Vale Industrial Estate to build an indoor fish farm.  Trainees develop skills in environmental managment and gain a new life focus from their involvement with the work.