Colchester is to get £2.2 million to breathe new life into needy parts of the town.

The Government cash announced today - earmarked to revitalise run-down areas - will be channelled into east Colchester, particularly Greenstead, New Town and the Hythe, over four years.

It will form part of a £12 million regeneration project for the area, with more funding coming from other sources.

The single regeneration budget cash will help fund the building of community centres on Greenstead and at the Hythe, health centres at New Town and the Hythe, out-of-school care and projects to help youth and families, plus jobs training.

It represents a significant coup for Colchester Council and local bodies, under the umbrella East Colchester Partnership, which had worked hard to bid for the money.

Tina Hinson, regeneration co-ordinator for Colchester Council, said: "Everyone is absolutely delighted. It shows what partnerships can achieve when everybody is pulling together.

"Our task now is to draw up detailed plans for taking the projects forward. All the partnership organisations will be working closely with residents and groups in the area to make sure the scheme is a real success and makes a real difference for the people who live and work in this area."

Bill Samuel, chief executive of the Government's East of England Development Agency, said: "This grant will be a real boost for people living in east Colchester who are working to improve the area."

The Colchester scheme has targets to create 124 jobs, train 292 people, help thousands of young people with specific projects, help start up 56 new businesses, build or improve more than 100 homes and create 125 new childcare places and support a range of voluntary organisations.

East Colchester Partnership is made up of businesses, housing associations, the borough council, health authority, residents and voluntary groups and education organisations.

Southend celebrating cash windfall too

Jubilant community leaders were today celebrating a £1.9 million Government handout aimed at boosting the quality of life in central Southend.

The cash injection will help to spearhead a series of projects in Milton, Victoria and St Luke's wards to create employment, raise education standards and improve health and safety in the community.

Chief executive and town clerk George Krawiec said today: "This is very welcome news for Southend.

"The allocation of £1.873 million of single regeneration budget funding demonstrates the Government's support for the renaissance of the centre of Southend and is a clear recognition that there are specific problems in the town which need to be addressed.

"The money we receive will be put to very good use and means that we can begin to work on some key projects in the target area."

The bid has attracted the support of a number of partners including medical instruments company KeyMed and Peter Pan's Adventure Island.

Southend was given a second economic boost today as the town was included on a map of places qualifying for assisted area status.

This shows the areas of Britain which are in line for regional investment grants to help industry.

The map, which will now be sent to the European Commission for approval, includes Southend for the first time as part of a large increase of areas covered in the east of England.

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