Falkirk West MP, Eric Joyce has welcomed the Prime Ministers reiteration of the Labour Governments commitment to regenerating communities throughout Britain.

Speaking at the Croyden Community Leaders Conference yesterday, Tony Blair announced a number of initiatives designed to make Britain's communities and neighbourhoods cleaner, brighter and safer places to live and work. Highlighting that these factors influenced not only quality of life but also local economic success, he also announced the Governments intention to bring forward legislation to create Business Improvement Districts to get local business involved in community regeneration.

Speaking yesterday the Prime Minister said

‘We need strong local communities and an improved local quality of life. Streets where parents feel safe to let their children walk to school. Where people want to use the parks. Where graffiti, vandalism, litter and dereliction are not tolerated. Where the environment in which we live fosters rather than alienates a sense of local community and mutual responsibility.

Run-down and demoralised public services reduce people's quality of life, even though they may be getting richer. One of the failings of Thatcherism was to misunderstand how ‘public goods' such as clean, safe and attractive streets and public spaces need investment alongside growing private affluence. Today, these issues are also crucial for economic success. When a neighbourhood declines, local business suffers too.'

Commenting today, Eric Joyce MP added

‘There are a number of areas within Falkirk West where residents have come to me concerned about a decline in community pride and neighbourhood responsibility. These areas would benefit from the Government's proposed legislation for Business Improvement Districts, where with the added assistance of local business, local people can help regenerate their own communities and drive out the problems which blight their neighbourhoods.'

Notes to Editor

• Initiatives announced by Tony Blair yesterday include a commitment to the introduction of legislation to create Business Improvement Districts – a scheme similar to that in operation in the US where local businesses help pay for projects that improve their local area.