xPRESS Digest - regeneration funding news

Telecoms company Talktalk is offering £60,000-worth of technology grants to UK charities and community groups. The firm is inviting not-for-profit organisations to enter its second annual Innovation in the Community awards, held in collaboration with digital technology charity Citizens Online. Organisations have until 30 September to enter innovative project ideas for developing their work using technology. Grants of £2,000 will be awarded.

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4 July 2008
© Hannah Jordan, Third Sector Online

The foundation has reopened its grants programme for culture and heritage projects in the north east and Cumbria.The first grants from the Northern Rock Foundation’s recently reopened programme for culture and heritage projects in north-east England and Cumbria will be made this month.

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2 July 2008
© Radhika Holmstrom, Third Sector

Communities Minister Baroness Andrews has today confirmed nearly £500m for neighbourhood partnerships in deprived communities across the country, to continue helping their work to cut crime levels, improve educational achievements and boost job opportunities. Over £250m will be made available over the next two years, and is in addition to the £230m announced in April for this year. This funding means that the 39 New Deal for Communities partnerships will have received £2bn over the 10-year programme.

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1 July 2008
© Communities and Local Government

Futurebuilders England today launched a new interest-free loan fund for third sector organisations struggling to meet the cost of tendering for public sector contracts. The £1m Tender Fund is intended to help third sector providers win contracts where prohibitive tendering costs would otherwise make it difficult for them to bid. Jonathan Lewis, Chief Executive of Futurebuilders England said: “We know there are organisations with the skills to bid for and win public sector contracts who simply can’t afford the costs involved in preparing competitive bids. “Our conversations with the sector tell us that providers often need money to fund tendering related costs such as legal bills, financial expertise, staffing backfill and advice from procurement specialists. We want to be as flexible as possible with the finance we offer and respond to the sector’s needs, so we set up this fund specifically to help address this problem. The new Tender Fund will provide interest-free three year loans of between £3,000 and £50,000. This will help organisations who simply need a smaller sum of money to get them through the tendering stage.”

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30 June 2008
© Futurebuilders

As the consultation on eco-towns draws to a close countryside campaigners, CPRE, are calling on the Government to focus on one or two truly exemplary schemes, scrap sub-standard proposals and rethink its eco-town programme.
Marina Pacheco, CPRE’s Head of Planning, said: ‘To begin with, CPRE supported the eco-towns initiative. Who would object to exemplar schemes built to high environmental standards which provide the affordable homes the nation desperately needs? But we now believe we have been led astray. What will this programme deliver? It appears increasingly to be about spin with very little substance. The creation of the eco-town Challenge Panel looks increasingly like a supreme example of spin-mongering.’ CPRE key concerns about shortlisted eco-towns proposals are as follows: due to their location most eco-towns shortlisted are unlikely to work in transport terms and risk being car dependent housing estates with residents stranded in the face of continued fuel price rises; most of the sites are predominantly greenfield and include farmland of the highest agricultural quality; two sites actually lie in the Green Belt; three eco-towns are proposed for the East of England where water supply and sewerage have already reached maximum capacity; most of the proposed eco-towns go against local plans agreed with communities and therefore have no local democratic mandate; site-selection is based on arbitrary, mainly developer-led, bids rather than sound planning in the wider public interest; communities are being asked their views on schemes about which little firm information is available, apart from the location; there is a worrying lack of evidence to demonstrate that schemes will offer truly sustainable models of living and working; the Government’s insistence that eco-towns should be freestanding makes no sense since most new housing will be in and around towns where infrastructure needs can be more easily met.

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30 June 2008
© CPRE

One hundred exceptional school and college leavers from across England have today (Friday 27th June) been named and will take part in the Prime Minister’s Global Fellowship; a program created to nurture outstanding talent and enterprise in young people. The Global Fellows will experience first-hand the major new global economies.The one hundred Fellows were picked following a competitive process. Each will spend six weeks in China, India or Brazil this summer to immerse themselves in the local culture and economy. This will include two week’s hosted by a major global company. The one hundred Fellows met for the first time in London today (Friday 27th June) to prepare for their journey. The group is made up of a broad mix of young people, from different backgrounds and all over England.

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27 June 2008
© Department for Children, Schools and
Families (National)

Secretary of State for the Environment, Hilary Benn, has today announced the areas that he will allocate initial funding to, in light of Sir Michael Pitt’s final report into the summer floods. In response to the report Hilary Benn said: “I welcome Sir Michael’s report and the direction it sets. I will deliver a detailed response on behalf of Government that includes a prioritised action plan in the autumn. Before this, I am today taking action to help the country be better prepared to deal with the impacts of flooding. Earlier this year I outlined that at least £34.5 million of the £2.15 billion total Government flood and coastal erosion spend over the next three years would be allocated to implement the final recommendations of Sir Michael Pitt’s report. Today I can announce that part of this funding will be used to take forward work in several key areas including: assisting the development of surface water management plans in high priority areas, improving reservoir safety and an initial contribution to a major national floods exercise to ensure we are better prepared for the future.”

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25 June 2008
© Department for Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (National)

This year sees the launch of the Awards for Bridging Cultures. The ABCs will celebrate local schemes and projects, run by grass roots, community and voluntary organisations, that build bridges between communities. Throughout the UK, voluntary and community groups are running schemes and projects that build bridges between communities. But, this work does not always receive the profile it should or full recognition of the role smaller projects can play in contributing to the bigger picture. The ABCs will showcase this work and raise awareness of the wide range of activity on the ground. It will encourage applicants to share the learning from their schemes with other organisations. The ABCs are funded by The Baring Foundation and delivered by the Institute of Community Cohesion (iCoCo). The application process is short and simple, the deadline for applications for 2008 is Wednesday 1st October.

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20 June 2008
© Bridging Cultures

Following the Festivals of Ideas, we have challenged third sector innovators to act on the advice and intelligence they have received, connect and collaborate with the contacts they made and continue to develop their work. The next key milestone in the Innovation Exchange process is 31st July, which is the last day on which people can submit expressions for interest in our Next Practice programme, which includes access to the NESTA Innovation Exchange Fund. The Next Practice programme is our chance to work with the very best of third sector innovation in relation to independent living and excluded young people. We aim to help third sector innovators to develop, evaluate and grow their work. We will do this by offering both generic in-kind support - coaching support and a small number of events - and bespoke support, designed around projects’ particular characteristics.

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23 June 2008
© Innovation Exchange

Plans to improve transport links in Cornwall moved a step closer today after Transport Minister Rosie Winterton approved a £34million Government contribution towards a major new scheme in the region. The £44million project includes a new road between Redruth and Camborne, a new dual carriageway linking the A30 to new housing and employment areas and the conversion of the A3074 into a bus priority corridor. It also includes improvements to walking and cycling routes in the area. The regeneration of the Camborne-Pool-Redruth area is one of the most important projects in Cornwall, with proposals set to create around 2,300 jobs and 600 new homes. The funding announced today will help secure the necessary road and public transport capacity to support the developments by improving access and reducing congestion.

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23 June 2008
© eGov Monitor

Community groups in Liverpool are being invited to bid for cash to fund projects that benefit their community. Liverpool City Council has made available £180,000 to support community initiatives which contribute to the well being of residents in 20 wards in the City. Councillor Marilyn Fielding, Liverpool’s executive member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “I am delighted that local ward councillors will have an opportunity to award grants to local groups which can make a big difference to the quality of life in their areas.We expect the scheme to be extremely popular so we will give priority to those bids which are as inclusive as possible and have long-lasting benefits for the community.” The council hopes the grants will help more local people engage with local councillors and neighbourhood committees when they see immediate tangible results. The Fund called ‘The Councillors’ Community Initiative Fund’ (CCIF) aims to be a fast track scheme with as little time as possible between application and decision.

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17 June 2008
© Liverpool City Council

Gardens across England, large or small, can be havens for wildlife and are great places to get children interested in the natural environment, said Natural England today (Saturday 21 June) as it hosts the 2008 Wildlife Gardening Conference at the Zoological Society in London. Whether you want to have more wildflowers in your garden, make your pond a friendly place for wildlife or create a ‘living’ roof, this event has everything you need to set your garden on the road to becoming a haven for wildlife. Sir Martin Doughty, Chair of Natural England said: “Gardens are a great way for everyone to get involved in protecting wildlife in England. Any green space - urban or rural - that can provide a place for wildlife is important. Gardening can also help plant the seed of outdoor enjoyment in children’s minds. “We know that the gardens of England are under threat. As we highlighted last year, in London alone front gardens with an area 22 times the size of Hyde Park has already been paved over and lost. This reduces havens for wildlife, increases the impact of flash flooding and contributes to climate change. But, it’s not all bad news. People can help by just doing a few easy things in their garden or surrounding green space,” concluded Sir Martin.

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20 June 2008
© Natural England

If your community wants to refurbish your village hall, develop new local services or come up with a long-term plan for community development, then a new service run by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and the Crofters Commission can help you make the most of the funding programmes that are out there. The Rural Direct service will offer advice, support and technical expertise to help rural community access funding including the new Rural Priorities scheme. Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead formally launched the service today, 9th June 2008, by taking the first call to Rural Direct’s helpline from Judith Johnson of the Langholm Initiative in Dumfries and Galloway. Speaking at the SCVO’s Inverness office Mr Lochhead said, “This Government wants to see communities able to make the most of the grant funding available to them. I want community groups to be fully equipped to maximise the opportunities available to them in the sustainable economic development of rural Scotland. Rural Priorities in particular will deliver real benefits for the people of Scotland and is a one-stop shop for farmers, crofters and others living and working in rural Scotland.
In the past year Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and Crofters Commission have been awarded a total of £295,000 for 2008/09 by the Scottish Government to help rural Scotland make the most of its potential.
I want to see rural Scotland maximise the investment this Government has made available and look forward to seeing the results in coming years.”

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9 June 2008
© Rural Gateway

A new three-year £25m fund to boost community regeneration in Wales will be focused more closely than its predecessor on projects that provide clear and lasting benefit to deprived communities, the Welsh Assembly Government has announced. The Outcomes Fund replaces the Assembly Government’s original Communities First programme, which was established in 2002 to allow community groups to bid for money to improve their local areas.

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18 June 2008
© Third Sector Online

Capacitybuilders has revealed the 72 organisations that will receive a share of more than £17m of funding to work with marginalised communities. Third sector minister Phil Hope announced the successful bidders in the Improving Reach programme at the Capacitybuilders annual conference in Birmingham on 17 June. Training network the Federation for Community Development Learning was the biggest winner, landing £450,000 over the next three years.

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18 June 2008
© Andy Ricketts, Third Sector Online

Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly today appointed Bristol as the UK’s first official Cycling City, and announced a further 11 Cycling Demonstration Towns across England. Bristol and the 11 towns have succeeded in winning a share of the record £100m investment package to pioneer innovative ways to increase cycling in their areas. Proposals include improving cycling infrastructure such as dedicated cycle lanes, increasing bike parking provision and cycle training and promoting the benefits of cycling. Today’s announcement aims to encourage 2.5 million more adults and children to take up cycling, improve their fitness and beat the traffic.

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19 June 2008
© Department for Transport (National)

Third sector minister Phil Hope has unveiled a £6m investment in social enterprise through the ChangeUp infrastructure programme. Hope announced the money, which will be spent through organisations that provide support to social enterprises, at the Capacitybuilders annual conference in Birmingham on 17 June. The money will be available over the next three years and will be ploughed into projects such as mentoring programmes for social enterprises.

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18 June 2008
© Andy Ricketts, Third Sector Online

Bishops have called on government to take the numbers experiencing fuel poverty into account when setting policy on increasing renewable energy generation. The direct cost to the UK of meeting the EU’s current 15 per cent target will be at least £5 billion per annum by 2020, in addition to indirect costs in the form of higher energy prices. The call comes in the submission of the Church of England’s House of Bishops’ Europe Panel to the House of Lords’ Select Committee on Economic Affairs inquiry into ‘The Economics of Renewable Energy’. The Panel acts as a point of reference for matters affecting the Church of England’s relations with Europe and the European Union institutions. Government policy on renewable energy and the rate at which it increases is shaped by the EU target that 15 per cent of energy consumed in the UK should come from renewable sources by 2020. The bishops note that Mr Malcolm Wicks, Minister of State for Energy at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, has produced initial assessments suggesting that the direct cost to the UK of meeting a 15 per cent target will be at least £5 billion per annum by 2020, in addition to indirect costs in the form of higher energy prices. The bishops’ submission recognises that higher energy prices are likely to be an incentive to reduced levels of consumption and contribute to meeting UK targets but voice concern that higher prices could increase fuel poverty. “We are concerned at the effect this will have on the numbers experiencing fuel poverty and on the levels of hardship experienced by those already in fuel poverty,” the submission says. “We recommend that the inquiry and future policy following on from it should both calculate and explicitly take into account the effect of meeting our renewables target on the numbers experiencing fuel poverty and the economic impact on those already experiencing fuel poverty.”

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18 June 2008
© Church of England

Minister Michelle Gildernew MP, MLA has called for farmers and the building industry to work in partnership to ensure the Farm Nutrient Management Scheme (FNMS) is delivered. Farmers have until 31st December this year to complete works under DARD’s Farm Nutrient Management Scheme which provides grant funding towards the cost of installing a slurry tank. Calling for increased efforts to meet the EU deadline the minister said: “Since I came into office I have prioritised the FNMS, with some 4,000 grant approvals now issued to farmers. However £100million worth of construction work on slurry tanks still has to be done and the big challenge now is to urgently get the work started to meet the EU’s deadline of 31 December 2008. I am determined that as many as farmers as possible can benefit from the FNMS grant and it is only through working together that we can meet the EU deadline in the limited time left. I also wish to thank both the UFU and NIAPA for their strong support for our efforts to get as many farmers as possible through the scheme before the end of December.”

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12 June 2008
© Northern Ireland Executive

A total of £78 million have been invested in North Tyneside over the last 12 months to deliver better leisure, learning and community facilities for residents. The spending by North Tyneside Council is the latest phase in the borough’s £1 billion ten-year capital spending plans, a report to a meeting of the council’s Cabinet today (Monday, June 16) has confirmed And over the last 12 months it has resulted in the opening of a string of new facilities - The Lakeside centre, Killingworth; Beacon Hill School; new community facilities at Westmoor and the Lockey Park changing facilities at Wideopen. And thousands of council homes have been brought up to Decent Homes Standard with the £26.6m improvement programme delivering new doors and windows for 1,550 homes, new kitchens and bathrooms for 1,760 homes, 280 new roofs, 1,660 electrical upgrades and 760 new heating systems.

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16 June 2008
© North Tyneside Council