LOCAL COMMUNITY PROJECTS

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Residents living in the Mackworth Estate, Austin Estate and Breadsall Hilltop and North Chaddesden areas of the city completed a questionnaire with their views on how to spend the money. Their suggestions were then added to those of schools, community panels and ward councillors. One of the conditions for proposals was that they had the support of other residents in the area, and ward councillors also met with residents to get a cross-section of opinion on the project ideas. The suggested projects also had to contribute broadly towards the twin aims of reducing crime, and the fear of crime, and of improving the local physical and natural environment.

Details of the projects are:

Breadsall Hilltop and North Chaddesden Ward:
· £5,000 - new bus shelter and a clean-up of graffiti at Leesbrook School.
· £3,000 - replace a hedge boundary with a 6 foot high fence on Audrey Drive.
· £9,000 - security improvements to Field Lane flats.

Derwent Ward:
· £16,500 - improvements to Scarborough Rise shopping area.

Oakwood Ward:
· £16,500 - general improvements to the area, including replacing old hedges with adequate fencing and work to improve security in the Wollaton Road shopping area.

Mackworth Estate - Mackworth Ward:
· £2,600 - digital equipment for local police.
· £10,000 - improvements to Prince Charles shopping area.
· £37,400 - improvements to Knightsbridge Park play area, including installation of new play equipment and a perimeter fence, and cleaning of existing play equipment.

Austin Estate - Normanton Ward:
· Upto £15,000 towards a skateboard/BMX track - subject to planning consent.
· £1,350 - 100 composting bins.
· £13,500 - railings on Rawlinson Avenue.
· £3,000 - fencing at Sunnyhill Community Centre.
· £8,500 - creating police house at Browning Circle - subject to planning consent.
· £2,000 - short-term intensive security patrol.
· £6,650 - install footpath to youth shelter on recreation ground.

All projects will be completed by the end of April 2003.

The money comes from the Government's Neighbourhood Renewal Fund. Derby City Partnership has used some of this money to create a Derby Renaissance Fund. The Renaissance Fund provides money for community and environmental improvements identified by local residents. The NRF provides funding for projects which complement existing services aimed at tackling joblessness, crime, educational failure, ill health, poor physical environment and housing. Derby has been allocated £7.3 million NRF funding over three years. The second year's portion is £2.4 million. The NRF money is being managed by Derby City Partnership on behalf of Derby City Council.

Councillor Paul Bayliss, City Council Cabinet Member for Youth and Community, said, "The best feature of these projects is that they all either originated from, or were at least shaped by, consultation we did with residents living in the areas where the improvements were needed. Some of the improvements are quite simple but make a big difference for the peace of mind of the people who live in the vicinity, for instance the new fence on Audrey Drive. Others provide brand new facilities that we'd like to see become very popular and well used, such as the skateboard and BMX track on Austin Estate. We listened to the people who told us what they wanted and I hope that those who took part recognise something of their suggestions in the finalised projects."

Five high-tech electronic information kiosks are being put in place around Sinfin as part of a project by the city council, health groups and other agencies. They will offer a range of information, including bus timetables and routes, news and events and where to find things such as out-of-hours chemists. If they prove successful with residents, they could be launched in other areas of the city. The kiosks will be based at Asda, Sinfin Centre Post Office, the Old Sinfin Housing Office at Shakespeare Street, the Enterprise Centre on Sheridan Street and Sinfin Community School at Farmhouse Road.

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