News from Peterborough City Council

Peterborough City Council has been successful in securing 12 months funding for the city's community contact centres to enable them to put in place robust and sustainable plans for the future.

 

A minimum of £90,000 has been secured from the Investing in Communities programme to be divided between the city's contact centres, with work continuing to secure further funding in the region of £200,000. The cash will allow the critical issue of the sustainability of the centres to be addressed, as well as helping to address immediate local issues in some of the most deprived areas of the city by aligning the work of the centres and the city's Neighbourhood Investment Plan.

 

"We very much hope that this funding will allow the centres to develop and secure their future role," said Adrian Chapman, head of strategic growth and development at Peterborough City Council.

 

"We only have funding for 12 months so the work around sustainability is crucial, but we know that with the right advice and support it is very possible for this type of centre to develop into a successful, robust and sustainable organisation managed locally, delivering services for local people.  We look forward to working closely with the centres over the coming year."

 

A number of community contact centres were launched in some of our most deprived neighbourhoods in 2003 to target regeneration work in community based venues. They provide a focal point for accessing information and advice, delivering training and engaging with the local community.

 

Initially, these centres were funded via the single regeneration budget and Urban II for a three year period to 2006. In the case of the contact centres in Ravensthorpe, Dogsthorpe and East wards continuation funding was then made available to 31 December 2007 via Urban II.

 

As Orton is not within the Urban II boundary, funding was secured for a further year from various partners. In all cases contact centre staff and management committees were made aware that funding was available until 31 December 2007.

 

Councillor John Holdich, the city council's Cabinet member for housing, regeneration and economic development, said: "It's great news that we've been able to secure this funding for the city's community contact centres. However, it is vitally important that they now develop robust plans for the future to allow them to fulfil their current and future roles."