By Richard Johnstone | 15 April 2014
More than 120 communities are to be given greater control over local public services as part of the expansion of the government’s neighbourhood Community Budgets scheme.
Communities minister Stephen Williams announced yesterday that 123 areas would be included in the second phase of the Our Place initiative, which was first revealed last year.
The programme brings local people, councillors and service providers together to identify where improvements could be made to local services. The £4.3m expansion follows the completion of 12 pilot schemes in an initial phase.
Among the service areas that will be examined in the programme is reforms to help cut crime, measures to tackle health inequalities, a programme to improve local energy efficiency and improvements to local employment and skills.
Williams said the pilot had shown that when a community was engaged and active in determining how their neighbourhood works, improvements to local services were possible.
‘I am pleased that through Our Place, communities all over the country are hearing this message and taking up the challenge to build a stronger economy and fairer society and to tackle local issues through new ways of working,’ he added.
Steve Wyler, the chief executive of community development group Locality, which is leading the expanded scheme, said the Community Budget approach could help transform local public services.
‘Community groups, local authorities, parish and town councils, and local businesses will work in partnership with local citizens to bring change to public service delivery,’ he added.
‘We relish the challenge of supporting these areas to produce development strategies and operational plans, to see local services where local people have taken charge in addressing the issues that matter the most to them, and to recruit champions who will help us share this model more widely.’
