Community investment programme

Community Investment Programme  /  CIP pledges  /  CIP project updates  /  Camden's assets list  /  CIP Cabinet reports and press releases

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Community Investment Programme 

What is the Community Investment Programme (CIP)?

The Community Investment Programme (CIP) is a 15 year plan to invest money in schools, homes and community facilities. We may sell or redevelop properties that are out of date, expensive to maintain, or underused and difficult to access. This will help us generate funds that are not otherwise available to reinvest into improving other services and facilities.  

The reduction in government funding, including the money no longer available for schools, means that we have to be more innovative in how we make the best use of our buildings and land to improve community facilities.

The story of the CIP

What is the problem in Camden?

• We have a £403m capital funding gap – this is the amount of money we need to maintain and refurbish buildings and land such as schools, council estates, community centres, parks and roads. 
• We have lost over £200 million of capital funding from government

What are we doing about it?

The Community Investment Programme (CIP) is our answer to government spending cuts whilst simultaneously ensuring we continue to invest in schools, homes and community facilities in Camden.

• We’re doing this by redeveloping or selling buildings or land that are underused or expensive to maintain
• We hope to raise £300 million through the CIP

What will the CIP deliver for Camden?

Housing

2750 total number of new homes which could be built in Camden

• Total new council rented homes: 500

This is the first time we have been able to build new council homes for rent for nearly 20 years. These new homes will be offered to those on the council house waiting list.

• Total new shared ownership homes: 200

We are working in partnership with private sector developers and housing associations to provide affordable home ownership options.

• Replacement council rented:  400

We are replacing a significant number of our council homes to ensure that our tenants live in good quality accommodation.

• 1650 new private homes built in Camden which will be marketed to local people first

Better Homes

As a result of the CIP a significant number of homes will be refurbished through the Better Homes programme. Around 1,650 homes have been refurbished in the last year– with a further £178m to be invested in over 13,000 homes in the next 5 years.

Schools

• £117m will be re-invested into 58 schools and children’s centres  up to 2016
• 543 additional school places could be generated through the CIP

Community

The CIP  is not just about improving buildings – it’s about investing in our communities to ensure they have a bright future. We’re doing this by:

• Providing  at least 9000m² of improved community facilities and space
• Involving more local people being in changes to their area
• Creating local employment opportunities by promoting to local residents and using local suppliers for contracts.
• Offering apprenticeships – like those offered at Netley and Chester Balmore
• Regenerating places like Gospel Oak and Somers Town
• Providing new adult social care services like Greenwood community resource centre
• Improving  tenants halls
• Securing the future of parks and historic buildings

How long will CIP take?

• We have completed 2 years of the 15 year CIP programme
• 80+ CIP projects are planned up to 2016

The progress so far

• 17 schools across Camden had improvements carried out on facilities, including heating systems, new windows and brickwork repairs. Work at a further 11 schools is planned for 2013.
• This financial year we’ll be spending £10 million on improving the condition, energy efficiency and other facilities in schools in Camden.
• Building work is now underway at the Netley School site and is progressing well.
• The CIP has also helped pay for internal works including kitchens and bathrooms, to almost 3,000 homes as part of the Better Homes programme.  Around 1,650 homes have been refurbished in the last year.
• Building work for the first phase at Holly Lodge is now complete, with the work on the second phase scheduled to commence in May 2013.
• Building work at Chester Balmore is scheduled to complete this summer – with this scheme set to be the largest residential Passivhaus development in the UK.

Employment, training and apprenticeships

We will be targeting employment and apprenticeship opportunities at Camden residents through the CIP:

• We will be actively sourcing Camden residents for  new job vacancies created on CIP sites
• We have created  over 50 apprenticeship placements and 40 work placements on sites in Camden so far
• The King’s Cross Construction Centre (KXCS) will be recruiting  Camden residents for these opportunities
• Work placements are available through KXCS for those who  are not job ready and need to gain experience –before returning to work
• We are actively encouraging Contractors to invite Camden suppliers to tender for  appropriate contract opportunities on CIP sites
• We will also  organise “meet the buyer” type events, to enable Camden suppliers to “pitch” to Contractors on CIP sites

Camden's assets list

In order for the council to be open and transparent, we have published for the first time, a full list of all the council-owned assets in the borough, please note this is not a CIP project list or sales list. You can see a full list of the CIP projects organised by ward

Working with the community

We will work with local people to identify ways to unlock the value of some of the borough’s assets like non residential buildings and land, to help bring our schools up to modern standards, provide new housing, regenerate estates and improve community services.

Developing our own local solutions will make us all more self-sufficient from government and help us invest it in the things that matter most to you. It also means we can ensure that Camden's social mix is protected and people aren't priced out or forced to send their kids to schools out of the borough.

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Page last updated Apr 19, 2013 3:16 PM