§ Ms BuckTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when an announcement will be made about a second round of the New Deal for Communities programme. [98048]
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§ Ms ArmstrongI am delighted to announce today that 22 new areas are being invited to bid for funding under the second round of the New Deal for Communities programme. The eligible areas are:
London:
Islington, Lambeth, Haringey, Lewisham, Hammersmith and Fulham, BrentNorth West:
Knowsley, Salford, Rochdale, OldhamNorth East:
Hartlepool, SunderlandYorkshire and the Humber:
Sheffield, DoncasterWest Midlands:
Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Walsall, CoventrySouth West:
PlymouthEast Midlands:
DerbySouth East:
SouthamptonEast:
Luton.In each area we are inviting community based partnerships to form, and take responsibility for, the regeneration of one neighbourhood of between 1,000-4,000 households. We trust that the communities, service providers and businesses will seize this opportunity to transform some of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the country.
Copies of the bidding guidance for round 2 of the New Deal for Communities programme have been placed in the Library of the House.
I am also pleased to announce the approval of the first of the long-term Delivery Plans developed by our pathfinder partnerships, 17 of whom began work last year. The partnership for Beswick and Openshaw in East Manchester have developed a robust strategy that promises to deliver real and lasting change for the area and its community. I am delighted to announce that we have today offered that partnership the funding they need to implement their strategy for change.