Community budgets begin

Eric Pickles has confirmed that the first 16 Community Budget pioneers would be up and running by 1st April 2011. The first Community Budgets pool and align various national and local funding strands into a single local funding pot for tackling social problems around families with complex needs.

The first 16 Community Budgets pilots will look to bring local agencies together to get straight to the heart of the problems facing some of the country's most chaotic families. They expect to help at least 10,000 families by 2015.

Eric Pickles said, "My message to local areas is don't be afraid to think big. To be as bold and as innovative as you can. This is the future for public services. If we can get 16 areas up and running in less than six months think what we can achieve moving forward. I want all areas to be able to tackle problem families and other key local priorities through community budgets from 2013.”

The 16 pilot Community Budgets are

Birmingham, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bradford, Essex, Greater Manchester (a group of 10 councils), Hull, Kent, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, LB Barnet, LB Croydon, LB Islington, LB’s of Westminster, Hammersmith and Fulham, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Wandsworth, Lewisham and Swindon