28.11.14
Winners of Transformation Challenge Award announced
The government has announced the names of 73 successful bidders for the Transformation Challenge Award, with a total of £89.4m to be distributed.
The fund is for projects that will improve public services while cutting costs.
All of the successful bids were submitted by partnerships aimed at eliminating duplicated services and providing more coherent support for people. The successful bids include:
- £400,000 for the Kirklees Cares project, where children in care are receiving peer support to prepare them for leaving care.
- £1m for the Light Bulb Project in Leicestershire, which will provide residents with a single point of contact for all their housing needs including aids and adaptations, energy advice and home maintenance.
- £1.5m for public bodies in Surrey that are boosting community support and sharing information more effectively for people in crisis.
- £1.4m for the Durham Ask initiative, which supports local volunteers who want to run treasured community centres and libraries.
- £12.4m for Greater Manchester councils to create integrated community services supporting people back into work, improving the life chances of children and young people, and improving residents’ health.
The £89.4m will be shared between 71 winners. Birmingham City Council and North Somerset Council have been offered capital flexibility allowing them to spend the proceeds of asset sales for revenue purposes.
Local government minister Kris Hopkins said: “The local authorities behind these projects have shown what can be done to improve the services people get, helping them to live independently and reducing demand for public services.
“By working with the local police, health bodies, Jobcentre Plus, voluntary groups and others they are eliminating waste and creating services which help people first time – not services which send people from pillar to post to get problems sorted.”
In total, the 73 successful bids involve 287 partners including 122 local authorities and 165 other organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors.
The Department for Communities and Local Government has created an interactive map of the 2015 to 2016 Transformation Challenge Award winners.
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