End of project will see 16 lose jobs

Sixteen members of staff will lose their jobs when a £56 million regeneration project in the Black Country comes to an end.

The Greets Green Partnership (GGP) was set up in 1999 to deliver a major regeneration programme around the area in West Bromwich under the Government's New Deal for Communities scheme. It will formally finish in March next year.

The workforce has already been nearly halved as the organisation begins to wind up. Four members of staff have been made redundant and one has taken early retirement, while 10 have left to take other jobs.

All the staff working within the partnership were employed on fixed-term contracts and those remaining are now on Sandwell Council's 'at risk' register. This means they will receive support from the local authority in their search to find new positions during the next year.

The figures were revealed as council chiefs approved plans for a "succession strategy" to ensure some of the projects, schemes and improvements started by the Greets Green Partnership will continue and be extended across the borough.

The strategy was backed by the ruling cabinet last night and will be submitted to the Government by the end of the month before it is eventually given final approval in December.

It sets out what has been achieved and what work needs to be done and how that will continue through partners including the council and other agencies such as Sandwell Homes and Sandwell PCT.

Registered charity Greets Green Community Enterprises has already been set up to continue some of the projects and take on assets.

Sandwell regeneration chief Councillor Bob Badham said: "One of the things that has come out of the succession strategy is that the good work that has been carried out will effectively be carried on after the partnership goes.

"A lot of the good practices that have gone on in Greets Green will have the opportunity to be extended to other areas." Greets Green Partnership executive director Ally Allerson added that it was important the work started by the partnership was not lost.

"The succession strategy is crucial because it ensures the excellent work Greets Green Partnership has carried out is continued after 2010," she said.

"By building on the foundations which are now in place, we firmly believe it will give the people of Greets Green a bright and prosperous future."

The partnership's assets include Wood Lane Community Centre.

Other projects set to continue include health and exercise initiatives and the continued development of Greets Green Recreation Ground which will be taken on by Sandwell Council.