By Joseph Timan, Local Democracy Reporter
Market Street in Atherton, one of the \ left behind\ neighbourhoods, pictured in July 2018 by Google Maps. Uploaded by Joseph Timan in April 2021. Permission for use for all LDRS partners. THE council has backed calls for dormant assets to be invested in ‘left behind’ neighbourhoods – including three identified within the borough. The local authority is one of thirty councils to support the Community Wealth Fund campaign which proposes a new independent endowment to be set up and spent on neighbourhoods across the country which are the most in need. Almost £900m is expected to be available through the expansion of the government scheme for financial assets deemed to be dormant.
The ambition forms a major part of a £10m investment by Wigan Council. With budgets for children’s social care under increasing pressure, the move aims to reduce the local authority’s use of agency staff and expensive out-of-borough placements. The announcement, made at full council earlier this month, follows on from the establishment of a new board to bring a “brilliant at the basics” approach to social work across the borough. Cllr Jenny Bullen, cabinet member for children and young people’s services, said: “The Covid pandemic has meant further pressure being placed on the system with a significant increase in the complexity of issues affecting our children.
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