Community First is an £80m government-funded initiative that will run for four years, until March 2015. The programme will help communities come together to identify their strengths and local priorities in order to plan for their future and become more resilient. It will fund both new and existing community groups. See http://www.cdf.org.uk/content/funding-programmes/community-first
What has Community First to do with the Milton ward of Southend Essex, UK?
£30 million pounds of the Community First initiative is being used as a Neighbourhood Matched Fund which is only available to the most deprived areas of the UK. The "Good News" (ha,ha) is that the Milton ward of Southend, Essex qualifies as one of these deprived areas.
A requirement of the Neighbourhood Matched Fund is that a local panel is set up and that panel will:
Communities will set up local panels in each eligible ward, and will decide upon projects and priorities for funding in their area.
It is a matched fund programme, which means that every £1 provided in funding must be matched by a similar amount of in-kind donations (this means donations of cash, services, free products or volunteer time).
How can I see the Community First Plan for the Milton ward of Southend Essex? This plan was produced by the panel members and describes the Milton ward and the current community groups which are at work in Just click on this link:https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwNdfxPNw4cAdWNscUl0MlJDUFk/edit?usp=sharing