Communities across Wales are set to benefit from more than £4.5 million funding thanks to the Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government’s Community Facilities and Activities Programme (CFAP).

Deputy Minister for Regeneration Leighton Andrews announced that £4.514m funding would be shared between 27 projects across Wales. They are based in
Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Carmarthenshire, Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea, Torfaen and Ynys Mon.

The funding will go to community or voluntary organisations to help support the creation of new facilities and services. Since its launch in 2002 CFAP has previously funded 633 projects to a total of nearly £60 million.

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The Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government has agreed a £15million deal with housing associations in local authority areas throughout Wales to deliver up to 300 new affordable homes.

The £15million is the first instalment of the £42million extra funding made available in December as part of the Assembly Government’s response to the downturn in the housing market. The money will be used to buy unsold homes and plots from private contractors.

The ambitious housing programme will not only increase the supply of affordable homes but also help liquidity in the construction industry and keep people in jobs.  The extra money will go to registered social landlords, including housing associations, in the 22 local authority areas across Wales and allow local authorities and housing associations working in partnership to respond to the current economic situation.

The aim is to give a vital stimulus to the construction industry, while also helping the most vulnerable families in Wales. It is also another step towards meeting Welsh Labour’s commitment to provide an additional  6,500 new affordable homes in Wales during this Assembly.  

The £15million will be spent in 2008/09. The notional breakdown is:

Local Authority                                               Notional SCIF Allocation       
Blaenau Gwent                                              £361,013       
Bridgend                                                        £656,291       
Caerphilly                                                       £840,723       
Cardiff                                                            £1,556,142     
Carmarthenshire                                           £907,228       
Ceredigion                                                     £387,902       
Conwy                                                            £596,687       
Denbighshire                                                 £484,742       
Flintshire                                                        £720,359       
Gwynedd                                                        £652,313       
Isle of Anglesey                                             £360,401       
Merthyr Tydfil                                                 £283,765       
Monmouthshire                                              £441,410       
Neath Port Talbot                                          £708,427       
Newport                                                          £694,421       
Pembrokeshire                                             £636,562       
Powys                                                             £677,571       
Rhondda Cynon Taf                                      £1,161,770     
Swansea                                                        £1,172,013     
Torfaen                                                           £444,175       
Vale of Glamorgan                                        £606,942       
Wrexham                                                        £649,141       

TOTAL                                                           £15,000,000