Community leaders in east Brighton are celebrating after winning £47.2 million for the area.

There is a renewed spirit of optimism in east Brighton following yesterday's announcement that local people are to receive more than £47 million.

The Government cash is part of the New Deal for Communities (NDC) scheme, which aims to help regenerate some of the poorest areas of the town and tackle issues such as unemployment, training, education, health and the fight against crime.

Although £47.2 million has been reserved for projects in east Brighton, the cash is not being handed over in one go. Furthermore, those who have worked to secure it stress that the impact of the money will not be felt straight away.

Alison Ghani, chairman of the East Brighton NDC Committee, said: "There will be continuous consultation with local people about what they want and what the community needs. One thing we have learned is that if you rush decisions that is when mistakes are made.

Dave Barnard, chairman of Moulsecoomb Tenants' Association said: "The really important thing about NDC is that local people can decide how the money is spent, which is very important and will hopefully ensure the quality of life for everyone in east Brighton will be improved."

The cash is being made available over the next ten years and although local residents have put ideas forward, authorisation from the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions is needed for large projects.

But small sums have already been given out to schemes such as the community magazine The Phoenix and youth clubs such as the Crew Club in Whitehawk and another at St George's Hall in Moulsecoomb.

In the first year of the scheme, £2 million of NDC cash is being released for projects. It is expected another £8 million will be added to the pot from outside by joint-funding initiatives. Tackling the low standard of health across east Brighton will be started straight away. Plans for a healthy living centre are already underway.

Although eventually it is hoped this will become a centre where people can access help from all the local agencies, such as social services, housing and education, in one place, initially it is being developed as a concept rather than a new building.

The NDC team will also be working with the East Brighton Education Action Zone, set up to raise pupils' attainment in the area, and Brighton and Hove Council to further the existing policy of learning for life.

Learning support assistance will be offered to pre-school children and their parents to help them develop and learn before entering school.

The reasons for truancy will be tackled and ways to encourage youngsters back to education will be explored, as well as the development of open learning centres to help adults get back into education.

One centre has already opened at Falmer School and it is hoped another could be up and running at East Brighton College of Media Arts in the future. A lot of the larger projects planned for the NDC zone, including more CCTV cameras, a specialist team to sort out crime and anti-social behaviour and a domestic violence project, will take many years to put into place. But the cash has already brought with it a sense of optimism and pride among the local community.

Colin Bradford has lived in Moulsecoomb for 22 years with his wife, Janet. The couple, of Newick Road, have welcomed the cash and the extensive public consultation on how to spend it. Mr Bradford said: "We weren't expecting east Brighton to get the full £50 million they asked for. We thought the sum would be lowered and be nearer £30 million, so it is wonderful.

NDC press officer Fred Netley, of Whitehawk, said: "The main thing now is to get people involved, especially the youngsters, who can take our plans and ideas forward over the next ten years."

East Brighton is one of 17 pathfinder authorities sharing £300 million from the Government for neighbourhood renewal. Although £47 million sounds like a lot of money, many people admit that it could be spent several times over and is not enough to give people everything they want.

Ms Ghani said: "We could easily spend this money in two years, but part of our job is to encourage funding from other bodies and to encourage economic regeneration."

Home Office Minister Lord Bassam, the former leader of Brighton and Hove Council, announced the level of cash being invested in the area. He said: "The money that has been given here is part of a wider regeneration strategy and will bring other opportunities for funding to the area."

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