Working Neighbourhoods Fund

The Working Neighbourhoods Fund is a new dedicated fund to develop more concentrated, concerted approaches to getting people in the most deprived areas of England back to work. It replaces the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) and also the previously proposed third bidding round of the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI) and incorporates the Department of Work and Pensions Deprived Areas Fund to create a single local fund.
Sunderland has been allocated £30.1 million of the national £1.5 billion Working Neighbourhoods Fund (WNF), part of the government’s drive to reduce long term unemployment and benefit dependency now and in the future in our most disadvantage communities.

Government wants all communities to share in rising prosperity and is determined to break the cycle of worklessness and a lack of economic growth in certain areas. It is part of radical restructuring of the government’s approach to regenerating some of the country’s most deprived areas.

The Working Neighbourhoods Strategy which was approved by Cabinet on 3rd December 08 sets out the proposed Sunderland framework for delivering these objectives.
There are a number of opportunities available with the majority going to tender via The North Eastern Purchasing Organisation online. A table of these are shown on the next page but this information is only correct at the time of print (16/03/09).

At present the following opportunities have been advertised:

Assisting People into Work: Specialist Provision
This area of work went out to grant and the closing date was 19th Jan 09.  We received 27 applications which were developed and appraised, with the Panel Meeting for approval being Monday 23rd March 09. All projects approved will be scheduled to start on 01/04/09 for 2years.

If any applications are deferred from this meeting, then they will go to another Panel Meeting scheduled for 21st April 09, with a view to start as soon as possible.

Boosting Enterprise: Talent Scouts and Neighbourhood Based Business Advisors
These areas of work went out to tender with the closing date being 13th Feb 09. 4 tenders were submitted, with a Sunderland Centre being successful. They are scheduled to start 01/04/09 for 2years.

Programme Management: Evaluation- Baseline Element

This is due to go out to quote within the next few weeks.

Information on the Working Neighbourhoods Fund is available on the following link: http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/Public/Editable/Themes/CityCouncil/
corporate/seds/wnf_frontpage.asp

These pages are constantly being updated with new information particularly when new opportunities are made available.

If you want to contact a member of staff within out Team regarding any WNF issues please phone 0191 561 16688 or email acsp@sunderland.gov.uk