§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the pilot schemes announced since 1 May 1997 by his Department that involve local authorities in a lead or partnership capacity; if he will list each of the local authorities involved in each case; and what revenue and capital funding each local authority will receive through the pilot in (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99, (iii) 1999–2000 and (iv) 2000–2001. [46391]
§ Mr. Kilfoyle[holding answer 18 June 1998]: The Better Government for Older People programme, launched on 5 June, aims to improve public services for older people by better meeting their needs, listening to their views, and encouraging and recognising their contribution. The programme seeks to promote partnership at both a national and local level and is being co-funded by a consortium of five organisations—the Cabinet Office (OPS), Age Concern, the Anchor Trust, the Carnegie Third Age Programme, and the Warwick University Local Authorities Research Consortium.
The programme has established 28 local pilots across the UK. Each pilot is led by a local authority but includes partners from central Government and the voluntary, community and private sectors. The pilot authorities are:
- Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council
- Bury Metropolitan Borough Council
- Coventry City Council
- Devon County Council
- Hartlepool Borough Council
- London Borough of Hackney
- London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
- London Borough of Harrow
- Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
- London Borough of Lambeth
- Middlesbrough Borough Council
- City of Newcastle upon Tyne
- North Yorkshire County Council
- Nottinghamshire County Council
- Oxfordshire County Council
- Sheffield City Council
- Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
- Warwick District Council
- Watford Borough Council
- Waverley Borough Council
136 - Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council
- City of York Council
- Scottish Borders Council
- South Lanarkshire Council
- Stirling Council
- Isle of Anglesey County Council
- Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council
- North Down Inter-Agency Partnership.
The aim of the programme is to develop best practice. As such the pilots will receive no revenue or capital funding. However, small grants, or 'seed money' may be available to fund specific activities aimed at encouraging community involvement in the pilots.