16 Mar 2007 - Blair Backs estate bid for bright new future
by Lucy Ashton:The Prime Minister dropped in on a Sheffield estate yesterday to show his support for residents' efforts to give it a bright new future.
Amid tight security, Tony Blair met community representatives at Winn Gardens with Cherie Blair meeting parents and youngsters at the Middlewood Winners nursery.
The 274 homes at Winn Gardens are being modernised - and local residents are keen to see a new image after years of the area being blighted by crime and anti-social behaviour.
Community leaders were pressing the government for a long-term financial commitment to Winn Gardens in a partnership between tenants, the government and the city council.
Jane Darby who set up the community centre with friends and neighbours, told Mr Blair: "We have alot of mums and large families living here and it's a case of everybody pulling together. It seemed like a good idea to have a nursery and family centre and it was lucky that funding and government inititatives came along at the right time so we could tap into that."
Mr Blair said: "There is still anti-social behaviour but the good thing is we have new measures in place to deal with it and you have a council like Sheffield that is using new powers to make a big difference. We are looking to make sure fundinf for projects is done over a longer period. There is a limit to what we can commit to but we need to plan ahead as well. "
Mr Blunkett said the Prime minister was talking to community groups about how, if people were given the appropriate support from local and central government they could do things for themselves.
"In an area like Winn Gardens, where there have been enormous problems in the past its only because the community has picked up investment from the Government that the area has changed. Its about working with them, There are some really good women leading the community but they cant do it on their own and equally the government can only do half of it without them".
Some residents claimed the estate was becoming a 'no go zone' but tenants have been working hard to turn the estate around and the Prime ministers visit amounted to an endorsement of their efforts.
The 274 homes at Winn Gardens are being modernised - and local residents are keen to see a new image after years of the area being blighted by crime and anti-social behaviour.
Community leaders were pressing the government for a long-term financial commitment to Winn Gardens in a partnership between tenants, the government and the city council.
Jane Darby who set up the community centre with friends and neighbours, told Mr Blair: "We have alot of mums and large families living here and it's a case of everybody pulling together. It seemed like a good idea to have a nursery and family centre and it was lucky that funding and government inititatives came along at the right time so we could tap into that."
Mr Blair said: "There is still anti-social behaviour but the good thing is we have new measures in place to deal with it and you have a council like Sheffield that is using new powers to make a big difference. We are looking to make sure fundinf for projects is done over a longer period. There is a limit to what we can commit to but we need to plan ahead as well. "
Mr Blunkett said the Prime minister was talking to community groups about how, if people were given the appropriate support from local and central government they could do things for themselves.
"In an area like Winn Gardens, where there have been enormous problems in the past its only because the community has picked up investment from the Government that the area has changed. Its about working with them, There are some really good women leading the community but they cant do it on their own and equally the government can only do half of it without them".
Some residents claimed the estate was becoming a 'no go zone' but tenants have been working hard to turn the estate around and the Prime ministers visit amounted to an endorsement of their efforts.