'Hands On' Council Leader to sit on Burngreave Board

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 9th Jun 2008

The new Liberal Democrat leader of Sheffield City Council will take a place on the Burngreave New Deal for Communities Board. Cllr Paul Scriven will take a 'hands on' approach to ensure that management of the board improves after an independent audit found serious failings. He is determined to get the best deal for Burgreave and ensure value for money for taxpayers.

Only this week the Council called for the Chief Executive of Burngreave New Deal for Communities (BNDfC) to resign in the wake of the audit. It found a wide range of management failings, including the fact that proper procedures where not followed when awarding large contracts.

Cllr Paul Scriven has now been nominated by the Council to sit on the board at Cllr Scriven's request. He will take a 'hands on' approach to try and get the best possible deal for Burngreave from the investment set aside to improve local peoples lives. Councillor Paul Scriven said: -

"It is essential that the management failings are sorted out if the people of Burngreave are to get the best out of the investment set aside to improve their lives. Therefore I'm looking forward to serving on the board in order to work through these issues."

"The poor management of Burngreave New Deal for Communities is not a full reflection of some of the positive work being carried out. I'm passionate about making sure the people of Burngreave get the best possible deal so that they can see even more positive work being done which improves their area and makes a positive difference to their day to day lives. "

BNDfC was set up in 2001 after the Liberal Democrat Council at that time picked Burngreave as the deprived area to receive extra support. The board was handed £55 Million to spend over 10 years, to cut crime, improve housing and health, and create new jobs.