Local MP, Gordon Prentice, has welcomed the news from Schools Secretary, Ed Balls, that  Pendle is to receive funding to provide support and accommodation for care leavers in the Borough.

Speaking from Westminster, the MP said: “As part of the Government’s Children’s Plan, £200 million is being made available nationwide to help provide integrated working between schools, health and other services.”

“The announcement has just been made that a joint bid  by Pendle Council and other partners for supported accommodation for  young people leaving care has been awarded £160,000. It is intended that the money will be used to refurbish four previously empty properties in Colne, Nelson, Barrowford and Brierfield.”

“The project, known as the Pendle Dispersed Foyer Scheme, will allow the young people leaving care or foster homes to continue to stay close to where they have been living and gradually become independent.”

Note to Editors

Current details of  the Pendle Dispersed Foyer Scheme:

Lead Officer: Clive Thomasson – Strategy & Partnerships Manager, Pendle Borough Council
Partners;    Lancashire Supporting People, Pendle Partnership Children’s Trust, Leaving After Care, East Lancashire YMCA

Project Plan

• A Housing provider will purchase four 2-bedroomed properties on the open market.
• The properties will be long-term ‘empty properties’, thus contributing towards the Council’s Empty Property strategy. However, these properties will need refurbishing to a good standard.
• The bid made was for £160,000 which would help refurbish four properties at c£40,000 each
• The four 2-bedroomed properties will be in Colne, Nelson, Barrowford and Brierfield to ensure care leavers can access supported accommodation within reasonably close proximity to where they have been living.
• The properties will be furnished and accommodate two care leavers each.
• Supporting People has been approached to provide revenue support to cover this scheme. This support would ensure that the care leavers received housing-related support to assist them in independent living by giving them skills to sustain their own tenancies and therefore prevent future homelessness.
• It is expected that support and access to support, will be available 24 hours a day to complement existing support by Leaving After Care.

The timetable for setting up this scheme will be finalised in July 2009 and it is expected the work will begin as soon as possible