Since the council leader, Councillor Dimitri Batrouni, announced the No-One Left Behind Fund earlier this year, a working group has developed a framework to pilot the allocation of the fund.
Councillor Jason Hughes, cabinet member for communities, and Councillor Mark Howells, leader of the Independent Group, have been pivotal in leading this work with senior officers.
Having identified the most deprived areas of the city, a decision has been taken to focus on Tredegar Park (Duffryn) as the pilot.
Councillor Hughes said: “Well-informed research helped us identify the area to pilot this new fund. We want to ensure that we deliver the right support and services for residents and then we can use that as the model to take into other communities in the city.
“We are committed to ensuring that the allocation of the fund is in line with the council’s anti-poverty strategy but we are also taking a grassroots-up approach.
“The next step will be to find out what support is already available in the area and then asking residents what is important to them and what they need so the money can make a real and positive difference to people’s lives.”
Based on that information, community groups and organisations will be able to make bids for the fund to deliver the support and services that residents feel are missing or need enhancing.
