Ten deprived areas including Mansfield and Worksop set to cash-in on East Midlands Mayor’s new £3m fund

Mayor Claire Ward, of the East Midlands Combined County Authority, High Peak MP Jon Pearce, and the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim McMahon, joined staff at Gamesley Community Centre, near Glossop, on September 4, to launch the fund after Gamesley and nine other deprived areas in the region have been invited to bid for funding.

The ten selected priority areas across Derby and Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, will now be able to bid for a share of the new EMCCA Mayor’s Community Development Fund aimed at tackling deprivation and improving lives.

Ms Ward said: “When I became Mayor – that was just last year, that is the first time we have had a Mayor – it was clear we wanted real change in our communities particularly in communities that have been left behind and not had the chance to build things and build skills and investments in their communities and build a transformational investment.”

Community groups, schemes and initiatives in ten places across the East Midlands will be able to bid for a share of £191,587 for their communities.

These include Shirebrook North, in Bolsover; Warsop Parish, in Mansfield and Worksop South-East, in Bassetlaw.

The fund, which will run over the next three years, is aimed at boosting community resilience, increasing local skills, and enabling people to take control of shaping their own neighbourhoods.

Ms Ward and the English Devolution Minister met staff, volunteers and users at Gamesley Community Centre, which hosts many activities including boxing, football and holiday clubs.

Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim McMahon, said: “I think people have seen local neighbourhood services have gone down and need to be improved and we need to think how these can be improved.

“Wherever you are in the country, local people know best. They live and breathe and know the area themselves and they have to build the capacity to build their areas for the people who have skin in the game.

“It’s not just about building places, it is about giving people confidence to continue to do it themselves which is sustainable.

“There is so much potential in this funding, from tackling deprivation to bringing local people together, and they will help everyone in the East Midlands unlock their full potential and benefit from the decade of national renewal we promised in our Plan for Change.”

Ms Ward explained the ten priority areas in the Community Development Fund’s first wave were selected on evidence including places with the highest levels of deprivation, and the lowest levels of investment, and where there has been a lack of support.

She said: “It’s more about bringing things to the people. They know what they need in their community and I want to take it down to these grassroots and that is why I am giving that money to these communities.”

Ms Ward added that she hopes the funding will make a ‘real difference’ and help to tackle issues like loneliness, health, the need to improve skills and to create employment opportunities.

She added: “I feel very passionate about this and I feel it can make a real difference putting this money into these communities.”

Ms Ward explained that councils and parish councils can be involved and in some cases they may decide they want to run a project and she hopes councils will work with their communities.

High Peak Borough Council Deputy Leader, Coun Damien Greenhalgh, said: “It’s absolutely fantastic. The style of funding is what’s needed because it’s best on health inequality and deprivation because this area and many across Derbyshire and the East Midlands do feel they have been left behind.”

EMCCA is now taking registrations of interest from community groups from the ten priority areas who may be eligible for the funding and organisations are being encouraged to submit an expression of interest before submitting a full application.

The authority is looking for organisations and community groups to work together to submit one application per area and eligible applicants include voluntary and community interest companies, and faith groups.

There will also be opportunities for new or emerging groups in each area to get support through an additional £8,000 small grants fund.

To be successful, projects must be community led, with residents actively involved in planning and delivery, according to EMCCA.

Encouraged schemes include:  Revitalising community spaces; Skills and employment hubs; Health and wellbeing neighbourhoods; Heritage and cultural initiatives; Community engagement and resilience projects; And helping new groups to get started .

EMCCA says both established and emerging organisations are eligible to apply provided their work is rooted in their communities.

Groups can apply for the funding until November 14 and full details, guidance and eligibility criteria are available via the Mayor’s Community Development Fund website, www.eastmidlands-cca.gov.uk/mayors-community-development-fund.

Three fellow Labour MPs for Erewash, Mansfield and Derby South have also praised the Mayor’s Community Development Fund.

Mansfield MP Steve Yemm said: “This funding from our Labour Mayor will help make a real difference to the people of Warsop and the amazing organisations based there.

“These groups are at the heart of our communities and it is right that they will be able to decide how best to support local people, rather than somebody in Whitehall making the decision.

“It shows just why this Labour Government’s devolution revolution is such an important step in renewing our county and our country.”