A £70 million pledge to support projects across the South East has been made by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA).

The aim is to address some of the region's inequalities and bring tangible improvements to the quality of life for people from neighbourhoods in urgent need of regeneration.

The investment is being made available through the SEEDA Fund for Regeneration.

It will be directed to a range of projects which address issues such as employment, education and skills, sustainable regeneration, the growth of local businesses and opportunities for the disadvantaged.

The money will also be used to tackle crime and drug abuse.

Funds have been awarded to 21 projects across the region and will target areas such as Brighton & Hove, Eastbourne and Hastings.

All the projects funded by SEEDA will be delivered by local partnerships of the public, private and voluntary sectors. They will closely reflect community needs.

A SEEDA spokesman said the inclusion of projects in rural villages and market towns showed the high priority being given to tackling social and economic problems in these communities and not just in the major cities and urban areas.

The schemes will run in parallel with other initiatives already in place and will complement the Regional Economic Strategy for the South East.

The results of each project will be measured against a series of "key outcomes", including new business start-ups, new jobs created, increased volunteering in the local community, crime reduction and improved literacy and numeracy.

SEEDA chief executive Anthony Dunnett said the fund for regeneration would deliver lasting benefits to communities across the region.

"The South East has areas of real need which the initiatives benefiting from the fund will tackle head on.

"The projects we are backing will improve the quality of life for many people, addressing problems such as providing job opportunities in disadvantaged communities.

"In Sussex, the fund will be used to create new jobs, promote lifelong learning, improve training, tackle crime and drug abuse and to fight social exclusion."