§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to announce his decision on the next phase of the safer cities project; and how much it is intended to give to each of the cities named in the new phase.
§ Mr. Charles WardleTen local authority areas have been shortlisted for the first group of new projects in the second phase of the safer cities programme:
- Blackburn
- Burnley
- Greenwich
- Lambeth
- Leeds
- Manchester
- Newcastle
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Plymouth
- Sheffield
We plan to set up at least six new projects before the end of 1993–94.
Organisations with appropriate experience have been invited to bid to manage two or more of these projects. Tenders were invited in response to this invitation on 5 October and are currently being evaluated. My right hon. and learned Friend expects to be in a position to announce decisions about the areas chosen and the successful contractors to run the projects before the end of the year.
The running costs of individual projects will be met by payments to contractors under the terms of the invitation to 218W tender and are subject to the outcome of the evaluation. The size of the grant budget available to these projects for local crime prevention activity has not yet been determined.