£1m Community Development Fund set to be launched

12.15.04pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 15th Jun 2007

Plans to launch a £1m Community Development Fund will be considered by the Council's Cabinet on Monday (June 18).

The proposal follows on from the Community Plan which identifies five areas of relative disadvantage in the borough. They are the Ham estate; the Edgar Road area in Heathfield Ward; Hampton Nurserylands; the area around Mortlake High Street; and the Castelnau estate, Barnes. The fund would benefit these areas and it is proposed that up to £732,000 be earmarked for the establishment of a Children's Centre at Lowther School in Barnes. The centre, part of a proposed borough-wide network of such centres, would be a hub for services for children and young people. Decisions for allocating money from the Fund are made by the Council Leader, Cllr Serge Lourie, on the recommendation of the Community Development Steering Group.

Cllr Lourie said:

"The fund is a very important initiative and, if agreed at Cabinet, will have a really positive impact on the lives of people in these areas. We will be working with residents to ensure their priorities are met and their quality of life improved. We will also be working in close partnership with various organisations, including the police, Richmond Housing Partnership and the Primary Care Trust, to support projects which tackle inequality and disadvantage."