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Salford's Hazel Blears promotes community kitties

25/03/2008

Salford MP Hazel Blears has outlined why Greater Manchester needs a 'community kitties' policy whereby local people have the opportunity to decide which projects are funded by the ten councils.

Pioneered in Brazil and some parts of the UK, the kitties can be used to help fight crime and tackle public health issues like obesity.

Hazel Blears told BBC Two's Daily Politics that the amount spent via a community kitty would depend on the city or town. Salford has already spent several hundred thousand pounds on filling in potholes.

"I think this is a very good way for local people to make the decisions, because very often they are better than politicians at getting value for money," she remarked.

"If it is a talking shop you just get the same old people; when they have got the right to vote and they make a decision on how the money is going to be spent you get different people, different backgrounds really wanting to be part of it."

Ms Blears said she would like all local authorities to use community kitties to influence social policy.

Last week, she launched an online public discussion forum to enable local people to have their say on improving local services and reviving communities.