CABINET minister Mo Mowlam praised a

residents' project today as "a beacon for the rest of the country."

The former Northern Ireland Secretary congratulated the people of East Brighton for their efforts to tackle poverty and other social problems.

She was in town to see

several local projects and talk to residents about the New Deal for the Communities

Initiative.

Now a Cabinet Office minister with responsibility for tackling social exclusion and the menace of drugs, she visited the offices of Phoenix, a magazine launched last year to provide residents with news about what is going on in their area.

She met residents who are being trained to produce the publication on their own at Robert Lodge, in Whitehawk Way.

Ms Mowlam said: "They are doing a very good job here and setting a positive example.

"Money is important but people from the outside

cannot tell people here what to do. It has to be led by the residents for the residents.

"If projects like this are a success then they will be a beacon not only for other projects in Brighton but also in other parts of the country."

During her visit she spoke to the production team of Fred Netley, Beryl Goodall, Indra Don Francesco,

Margaret MacDonald, Doug Wilson and Jenny Wakeham.

Mr Netley, 66, of Whitehawk, editor-in-chief of the magazine, said: "I can relate so much to what Ms Mowlam said about the community and tackling problems."

Under the New Deal, East Brighton is being invited to bid for up to £50 million

Government cash over ten years to back local schemes.

The aim is for residents to work on projects in partnership with the council, police, health and education authorities and the private sector.

The minister followed the visit with a walkabout on Moulsecoomb estate, where she talked with parents about youth issues.

Later today she was due to visit Falmer School to see the new community wing and the Brighton Oasis Project for women drug users.

Ms Mowlam was also due to visit the Emmaus Community for the Homeless project in Drove Road, Portslade, with Hove MP Ivor Caplin.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.