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Estate’s future is left hanging in balance

8/ 5/2008

A DECISION over whether to drop Back o’ th’ Moss from the centre of the borough’s regeneration activity has been deferred.

A report to the latest meeting of the Local Strategic Partnership executive recommended that it was one of 11 council estates that should be taken out of Rochdale’s Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy.

However, the LSP agreed at the meeting that funding for regeneration on Back o’ th’ Moss will continue until September 30 2008, when a further review will take place.

The recommendation was made because in the five estates identified to remain in the strategy, all in Rochdale, deprivation has seriously worsened.

These are Lower Falinge, Freehold, Kirkholt, Cloverhall and Bellshill and Smallbridge, with none recommended to remain in either Heywood or Middleton.

The dropped estates would be Back o’ th’ Moss – Moorclose and Baytree in Middleton – The Cray and Birchview in Pennines and Brotherod, Brimrod, Greave, Spotland, Syke and Turf Hill in Rochdale.

The report does not reveal whether deprivation improved or worsened in these areas.

Recent figures in the new Index of Deprivation are the reasoning behind the proposals, which have been opposed by members of the Rochdale Federation of Tenants’ and Residents’ Associations (Roftra).

At the meeting, the LSP proposed to focus on the three per cent most deprived areas in England, which would not include the 11 estates identified above, while also retaining the flexibility to target other areas demonstrating need in other ways.

A spokesperson from the LSP said: "A decision was deferred pending the outcome, analysis and consideration of the Index of Deprivation 2007 data.

"The Index showed a relative worsening in the most deprived neighbourhoods and, as such, this has focused our resolve to reverse this trend."

Darnhill will continue to receive funding if the decision is made, already being in one of the three per cent most deprived areas.

The spokesperson said: "Within Heywood Township, Darnhill is one of the neighbourhoods within the three per cent and although Back o’ th’ Moss is not among the three per cent most deprived areas, it will continue to receive Implementation Funding for at least six months, in addition to universal services and targeted need as identified by services to support residents."

The final decision on the revised approach will be made in June.