ASSISTING some of the most deprived areas of Blackburn and Darwen is the aim of the Blackburn Regeneration Partnership.

It objectives are to create employment, improve skill levels, develop projects that improve the quality of life and reduce levels of deprivation.

Creating training opportunities and improving access to employment are other major goals.

Target communities in the borough are Bank Top, Roman Road/Shadsworth and Darwen.

The project is managed by a partnership, as the name implies, of Blackburn Council, private companies and community groups.

It was in 1994 that the council bid, in competition with other local authorities, for a share of national regeneration funding.

The bid sought to use public funds, alongside private money to benefit local communities.

And it was allocated a grant of £19.5m over a seven-year period, which has been matched by contributions of £73.8m private sector investment and £20.1m public sector investment over seven years.

About £1.45m was spent in 1995/96. As well as developing industrial sites along the M65 extension, various projects are being funded through the single regeneration budget programme to benefit the communities in the target areas.

Projects include:

Access points in each target community - giving information on training and job placements.

Health promotion and sport.

Environmental programmes - designed to improve the appearance of areas.

Business development support - to help companies grow and produce employment opportunities.

Housing improvements, council house re-development and schemes to improve poor quality private sector blocks.

Safer communities - crime prevention and schemes to reduce the fear of crime.

Education programmes to improve pupil performance and develop links with the world of work.

The partnership is encouraging voluntary and community groups to make environmental improvements in their area with a green community chest grant.

The sort of schemes that will be encouraged are tree planting, improving footpaths, planting flowers, digging a pond as either an educational project or to improve the landscape or treating an area to encourage wildlife.

A community fund grant has also been set up to assist groups running projects to improve the quality of life in target areas.

Schemes that would be considered include projects designed to develop children's play provision, services to the elderly, or one-off projects that might provide a focus for community activity, such as a community festival.

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