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This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007

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£120 million directed to tackle poverty

26/02/2002

Scotland's 48 Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) initiatives will receive a share of a £120 million funding package announced today.

The resources are intended to help SIPs get the best out of existing community initiatives and support additional activity such as improving access to employment and education, improving childcare provision and introducing schemes to improve peoples' health and overall quality of life.

The funding will be distributed over the next two years via Communities Scotland, the Executive's housing and regeneration agency. SIPs are comprised of the local authority and other public agencies such as the local enterprise company, local health board, voluntary and private sector.

Announcing the funding at Edinburgh's 'Worktrack' initiative, part of the South Edinburgh SIP, Social Justice Minister Iain Gray said:

"Closing the opportunity gap has always been a top priority and is at the heart of the Executive's agenda. Programmes such as Worktrack, which encourage and help people into work and training, are vital in helping to achieve our targets of social justice.

"Everyone in Scotland should have the opportunity to realise their full potential and there should be no limit to these ambitions. SIPs work at the heart of the community by involving local people and by concentrating on their priorities."

Bob Millar, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, added:

"In order to make a lasting difference, it is vital that local people are involved. In its new role, Communities Scotland looks forward to working with SIPs to help improve the quality of life for people in Scotland."

Robert Divine, a former participant of the Worktrack programme in Edinburgh, said:

"Worktrack provided me with choices I wasn't aware I had. Before joining I was working on building sites around Edinburgh. I have no formal qualifications and thought that this was my lot in life. After registering I began to learn new things about myself and my skills. I became a volunteer at Worktrack, and am now studying 'Advice, Guidance and Counselling' full-time at Telford College".

SIPs have been given one firm funding allocation and one provisional allocation for 2002/03 and 2003/04. Previous announcements have been announced on a three year basis, with the latter two years made as provisional allocations. This year's announcement can only focus on the next two financial years as 2004/05 is outwith the current spending review. The next spending review is scheduled for Summer 2002.

COUNCIL

SIP

2002-03

2003-04

Firm Allocation

Indicative

Allocation

£

£

Aberdeen City

Great Northern

871,250

893,031

Argyll & Bute

Argyll & Bute

369,000

369,000

Clack'shire

Alloa South & East

1,038,000

1,038,000

Dundee

Dundee 1

2,195,806

2,250,701

Dundee 2

313,000

209,000

Xplore

496,212

451,217

Young Carers

109,265

111,997

E. Ayrshire

East Ayrshire Coalfields

1,813,379

2,181,098

E. Lothian

Tranent

163,898

167,995

E. Renfrewshire

Levern Valley

348,000

232,000

Edinburgh

Craigmillar

1,809,125

1,854,353

Strategic Programme

397,000

265,000

Edinburgh Youth

603,059

618,135

North Edinburgh

2,446,675

2,507,842

South Edinburgh

1,553,874

1,921,593

Fife

Fife

481,000

321,000

Frae Fife

137,632

141,073

Falkirk

Falkirk

440,000

293,000

Glasgow

Drumchapel

2,729,797

2,798,406

GARA

795,323

815,206

Big Step

490,642

502,908

East End

3,054,167

3,130,521

Glasgow North

3,201,254

3,281,285

Smaller Areas

1,786,063

2,166,914

Routes Out

276,314

283,222

Gorbals

818,437

838,898

Greater Easterhouse

3,718,162

3,811,116

Greater Govan

1,280,712

1,648,431

Greater Pollok

3,177,500

3,636,188

Milton

818,437

838,898

Springburn

866,766

888,435

Highland

Highland

856,900

803,723

Inverclyde

Inverclyde

2,576,999

2,641,425

Moray

Youth Start

469,629

481,370

North Ayrshire

North Ayrshire

557,000

372,000

N.Lanarkshire

Motherwell North

1,675,747

1,717,641

North Lanarkshire

678,000

452,000

South Coatbridge

770,108

789,361

Perth & Kinross

GO

211,176

216,455

Renfrewshire

Paisley

2,979,475

3,041,462

Scottish Borders

Scottish Borders

264,758

271,376

South Ayrshire

Girvan

448,617

459,832

North Ayr

1,595,925

1,635,823

S. Lanarkshire

Blantyre/N. Hamilton

3,191,850

3,677,188

Cambuslang

473,000

316,000

Stirling

SPUR

398,000

266,000

W.Dunbartonshire

W.Dunbartonshire

2,181,098

2,235,625

W. Lothian

W. Lothian

219,581

225,070

TOTAL

58,147,612

60,068,814

Mr Gray was visiting South Edinburgh SIPs 'Worktrack' initiative which aims to help unemployed people, from the Southhouse/Burdiehouse and Moredun areas, into work or training. The initiative receives £260k from the SIP. The Southhouse/Burdiehouse office was set up two years ago and the Moredun office opened in Nov 2001. The Moredun office has already assisted 18 people back into work and training.

Page updated: Thursday, July 22, 2004