Minister Ritchie says implementation of Neighbourhood Renewal continues

Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has today announced funding of over £7m for Neighbourhood Renewal in Belfast.  

The latest funding offers will support the delivery of services across 15 of the most disadvantaged Areas in Belfast.  

The Minister said “I have taken a close interest in funding for Neighbourhood Renewal projects because I want to be assured that resources are directed at those in greatest need.  Over the coming weeks, my Department will be issuing further contracts to providers of important services in disadvantaged communities.  I expect to be spending some £30 million on Neighbourhood Renewal in Belfast over the next 3 years, and I must be satisfied that this investment is making a real difference to people’s lives on the ground.”

The Minister said the funding would support a broad range of services, from support for families and children to training and education.  Ms Ritchie explained that the funding would be accompanied by tight controls saying:

“People in NR Areas have told me that the funding needs to deliver real change.  I can assure people in these areas that funding will issue under tight contracts with objectives clearly linked to Neighbourhood Renewal priorities.  My staff will closely monitor delivery against these objectives.”  

The Minister was able to provide reassurance to the many groups anxious about future funding:  “Over the course of this week, more than 80 contracts will be put in place with voluntary and community sector organisations based in disadvantaged Areas.  My officials will ensure that payments under these contracts are processed as speedily as possible.”

Emphasising once again the cross-government nature of Neighbourhood Renewal, Ms Ritchie called upon her Executive colleagues to follow her lead in committing resources to Neighbourhood Renewal Areas: “This is the Executive’s cross-cutting programme for tackling disadvantage – it will only work if every Department delivers for people”.

The Minister also rounded on critics of the Neighbourhood Renewal process: “My Department and I personally have been subjected to much criticism in relation to Neighbourhood Renewal. My determination to ensure that help for disadvantaged areas was focused on worthwhile services, has been quite dishonestly misrepresented as some kind of vetting! I hope my critics now realise how wrong they were.” She added “I also hope to issue contracts for Neighbourhood Renewal Funding in Derry and across the rest of the North in the coming weeks.”

Notes to Editors:

1.The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy ‘People and Place’ was published in June 2003 to close the gap between the quality of life for people in the most deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of society. Its objectives include:

• Community Renewal – to develop confident communities that are able and committed to improving the quality of life in their areas.
• Economic Renewal – to develop economic activity in the most deprived neighbourhoods and connect them to the wider urban economy.
• Social Renewal – to improve social conditions for the people who live in the most deprived neighbourhoods through better co-ordinated public services and the creation of safer environments.
• Physical Renewal – to help create attractive, safe and sustainable environments in the most deprived neighbourhoods.

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