Community projects bid for money

POLICE and Oldham Council have joined forces to fund a £30,000 investment in community projects in Werneth.

Last year anyone who lives in the area was asked to submit ideas of how the area could be improved — with grants of between £500 and £2,500 available.

The 27 groups who made suggestions will present their ideas to residents at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on Saturday, when the winners will be decided.

Insp Jim Troisi, of Oldham police, said: “We recognise there are a lot of good things going on in Werneth and this is an opportunity to capitalise and build on that.

“By offering this funding we hope it will bring people together and inspire them to submit ideas for projects that will help make the community stronger now and for the future.

The “participatory budgeting” scheme has helped build stronger communities in trials elsewhere in the world by giving local people the power to make local decisions. The idea comes from Brazil, where it was used to help overcome problems created by the end of the military dictatorship. The idea has since been used in 300 cities worldwide.