COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS

That this House notes with regret that the Community Champions Fund (CCF), introduced by the former Department for Education and Skills to provide support for people with ideas for small-scale projects to help improve their communities, is likely not to continue beyond 2007-08; recognises the positive impact of the Fund both in benefiting the deprived and socially excluded communities these projects serve, and in assisting the personal development of the community champions themselves, who would otherwise have difficulty accessing mainstream funding; appreciates that the decision not to extend this programme is in tune with a general move towards devolving funding and decisions as to how money is spent locally to local government and its partners within local strategic partnerships; but remains concerned that funding will not be provided in future for the types of projects uniquely funded by the CCF, such as individual-led initiatives; and calls upon the Government to reconsider its decision not to extend the Fund beyond March 2008.