Rhyl City Strategy

RHYL CITY STRATEGY EXTENDED UNTIL 2011

Secretary of State James Purnell announced on the 25th June 2008 that Rhyl will be amongst the 15 City Strategy Pathfinders receiving continuation funding from the Department of Work and Pensions for a further two years until 2011.  Between then the 15 areas, which include Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Greater Manchester, Nottingham and East and West london, will receive a further £5 million to continue to build their capacity.  Rhyl and Heads of the Valley are the only two City Strategy Pathfinder in Wales.

Speaking at a Welfare to Work conference in Birmingham on Wednesday 25th June, James Purnell outlined his vision for the future of the welfare system, devolving power, and opening the door for local providers to offer their own solutions to unemployment. "I want to give more power to customers, providers and regions. We are reforming the Welfare State from an essentially passive one to a profoundly active one.  We want a work culture, not a welfare culture."

James Purnell said: "I am delighted to extend the funding for the Rhyl City Strategy scheme.  I want to see more innitiatives like thsi one."

Rhyl City Strategy has already seen postive outcomes since its inception in early 2007, with reductions in the number of umeployed, and with close working between partners in the private, voluntary and statutory sectors aimed at improving provision and services for local workless people.

The initiative is supported locally by a wide range of organisations, including Denbighshire County Council, Arriva, Clwyd Coast Credit Union, Clwyd Leisure, Coleg Llandrillo Rhyl, Jobcentre Plus, Denbighshire Local Health Board, North Wales Women's Centre and the Welsh Assembly Government.  The City Strategy Consortium is chaired by Chris Ruane MP.

Chair of the Rhyl City Strategy Executive Board and General Manager of ARRIVA Barry Mellor was delighted at the news.

"The announcemnet that the City Strategy is to be extended for a further two years is fantastic news for Rhyl.  The extension will allow us to build on the excellent work already underway, and futher improve the life chances or local unemployed."

Councillor David Thomas, Cabinet Lead Member for Regeneration, said: " This is tremendous news and will help build on the success of the Rhyl City Strategy by offering more employment opportunities and encourage people to get bnack into the workplace by learning new skills.

"Rhyl is one of only two areas in Wales to be given the City Strategy honour and it is a real boost for the people of Rhyl.  The project is a clear example of the Council working with its partners to improve the quality of life for the town's residents and to look at ways of boosting the local economy.

"This extension to the project and similar projects across the UK can only benefit local communities."

For more information, contact the Rhyl City Strategy team on 01745 343605.