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| 'Time to deliver' on regeneration | 'Time to deliver' on regeneration |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Community projects designed to help Wales' poorest areas are to be told to deliver practical improvements, as the assembly government revamps the scheme. | |
| The Communities First programme currently funds around a 150 projects, but not all have delivered practical improvements say ministers. | |
| An announcement is due on plans to ensure the scheme will provide projects which will benefit communities. | |
| Renamed Communities Next, £140m will be spent on it over three years. | |
| Deputy Regeneration Minister Leighton Andrews is due to give details of the revamped scheme later. | |
| At a media briefing, Social Justice Minister Dr Brian Gibbons said the assembly government wanted to "build on the many successes that have occurred in the 142 Communities First partnerships across Wales". | At a media briefing, Social Justice Minister Dr Brian Gibbons said the assembly government wanted to "build on the many successes that have occurred in the 142 Communities First partnerships across Wales". |
| He said many of the most deprived areas had needed help to build up a framework which could be used to give them the assistance they required. | He said many of the most deprived areas had needed help to build up a framework which could be used to give them the assistance they required. |
| "There wasn't the skills, there wasn't the leadership and there wasn't the overall perspective," he said. | "There wasn't the skills, there wasn't the leadership and there wasn't the overall perspective," he said. |
| Dr Brian Gibbons said there would be 'vigorous monitoring' | Dr Brian Gibbons said there would be 'vigorous monitoring' |
| "Before regeneration could start, communities needed to have the capacity to bring the various interest groups in the community together to start identifying what local need was and putting action plans together to address that need," he added. | "Before regeneration could start, communities needed to have the capacity to bring the various interest groups in the community together to start identifying what local need was and putting action plans together to address that need," he added. |
| Dr Gibbons and Mr Andrews are due to launch a three-month consultation on the next stage of the regeneration plans at the Sandfields First scheme in Port Talbot on Wednesday. | Dr Gibbons and Mr Andrews are due to launch a three-month consultation on the next stage of the regeneration plans at the Sandfields First scheme in Port Talbot on Wednesday. |
| Dr Gibbons said the project was an "excellent example" of a Communities First programme able to offer pre-vocational training to many people "who would not otherwise be engaging with the labour market". | Dr Gibbons said the project was an "excellent example" of a Communities First programme able to offer pre-vocational training to many people "who would not otherwise be engaging with the labour market". |
| But some of those who have been involved with Communities First schemes suggested the results have been mixed. | But some of those who have been involved with Communities First schemes suggested the results have been mixed. |
| One told BBC Wales that while many projects had worked well there were a "lot of areas run by inexperienced staff" and a lot of the bodies involved in schemes "wanting to run things themselves" rather than encouraging local communities to take control. | One told BBC Wales that while many projects had worked well there were a "lot of areas run by inexperienced staff" and a lot of the bodies involved in schemes "wanting to run things themselves" rather than encouraging local communities to take control. |
| Leighton Andrews will launch a consultation into the matter | Leighton Andrews will launch a consultation into the matter |
| Dr Gibbons said Communities Next would have "vigorous monitoring" to identify areas where schemes were failing because organisations were not working well together. | Dr Gibbons said Communities Next would have "vigorous monitoring" to identify areas where schemes were failing because organisations were not working well together. |
| He conceded that "there had been some (community) partnerships, even in the current programme, that haven't worked, people haven't got on, people have tried to use it as a hobbyhorse for their vested interests and so forth". | He conceded that "there had been some (community) partnerships, even in the current programme, that haven't worked, people haven't got on, people have tried to use it as a hobbyhorse for their vested interests and so forth". |
| But he added with around 130 groups involved in the programme there were bound to be some difficulties. | But he added with around 130 groups involved in the programme there were bound to be some difficulties. |
| Bureaucracy | Bureaucracy |
| There was a qualified welcome for the change of strategy from opposition parties. | There was a qualified welcome for the change of strategy from opposition parties. |
| Conservative assembly group leader Nick Bourne said: "We have always supported the (assembly) government in its efforts to improve the quality of life in our poorest communities. | Conservative assembly group leader Nick Bourne said: "We have always supported the (assembly) government in its efforts to improve the quality of life in our poorest communities. |
| "We will continue to do so. | "We will continue to do so. |
| "However we need reassurances that money set aside for this programme goes in the delivery of workable programmes that make a difference to people's lives, and not on administrative costs or bureaucracy." | "However we need reassurances that money set aside for this programme goes in the delivery of workable programmes that make a difference to people's lives, and not on administrative costs or bureaucracy." |
| Welsh Liberal Democrat Social Justice spokesman Peter Black said: "I am glad that there will be an emphasis on delivering results. | Welsh Liberal Democrat Social Justice spokesman Peter Black said: "I am glad that there will be an emphasis on delivering results. |
| "However, I hope the (assembly) government will listen carefully to the what people in Communities First projects have to say during the consultation." | "However, I hope the (assembly) government will listen carefully to the what people in Communities First projects have to say during the consultation." |
| Plaid Cymru spokeswoman Nerys Evans said: "Communities Next will be judged by the long term change it's able to trigger in some of the poorest parts of Wales." | Plaid Cymru spokeswoman Nerys Evans said: "Communities Next will be judged by the long term change it's able to trigger in some of the poorest parts of Wales." |