Department for Communities and Local Government

• Communities and neighbourhoods
• Deprived neighbourhood

Communities and neighbourhoods

Deprived neighbourhoods

Our aim is to ensure that neighbourhoods are the building blocks not just for the Department for Communities and Local Government's major policy areas like housing, planning and regeneration, but for public service reform more generally.

Background

"Neighbourhoods are going to be key: they are the building blocks of public services society."
Eric Pickles' speech to the Local Government Association annual conference - 7 July 2010

Neighbourhoods are at the heart of the Government's approach. The Government has announced a number of commitments ranging from neighbourhood justice panels to support for neighbourhood groups. The Government also intends to protect the most vulnerable in society, whilst taking action to get the public finances back on track.

What we are doing

Building on discussions with people who live and work in neighbourhoods, we are looking at how government can help to remove barriers that get in the way of neighbourhood working, and make sure that people can access the support they say they need to take greater control over what happens in their neighbourhood.

As part of that, we will want to ensure that neighbourhoods can act as the building blocks for regenerating the most disadvantaged areas.

We will post further information soon on the work we are taking forward.

In addition we:

• manage the Department's funding to Groundwork, a federation of charitable trusts working with people and businesses in deprived areas to run local projects that secure social, economic, and environmental benefits. For more information please contact Rachel Edwards tel: 0303 444 3119 email: rachel.edwards@communities.gsi.gov.uk; and
• manage remaining commitments for two programmes that have helped to develop neighbourhood approaches to tackling issues in deprived areas:
  • Inspiring Communities, for more information please contact Yvonne Dove tel: 0303 444 2608 email: yvonne.dove@communities.gsi.gov.uk
  • New Deal for Communities, for more information please use the New Deal for Communities enquiry email address:  NDCTEAM@communities.gsi.gov.uk.