Pensioners in some of England’s poorest rural areas will be given extra encouragement to take up benefits and allowances through a new one and a quarter million pound fund launched by the Rural Affairs minister Alun Michael. The money will be available over the next two years for a range of organisations.The fund is being launched jointly with the Department for Work and Pensions, whose Partnership Fund tackles social exclusion nationally among older people. Defra’s contribution will be targeted at the most deprived parts of rural England, including East Lindsay in Lincolnshire, Bolsover in Derbyshire, Penwith and Kerrier in Cornwall, the Copeland district of Cumbria and Wear Valley in County Durham.

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A report has been published calling for extensive powers for the new regional assemblies that may be created in parts of England following referendums due to be staged in the autumn. The report, “Regions That Work” has been published jointly by the think tank, the Local Government Information Unit and the Campaign for the English RegionsThe authors say the document is a contribution by supporters of regional devolution to the hearings that are going on in the three northern regions – the North West, North East and Yorkshire and Humber – where voters will decide if proposed elected assemblies should be brought into being. The Government is due to publish in July a draft bill setting out revised plans on the powers to be granted to the proposed assemblies.

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This strategy document confirms the Government’s commitment to involving the voluntary and community sector (VCS) in the delivery of public services both at national and local level, and recognises the unique contribution that the Sector can make towards achieving shared goals. The target is to increase volunteering and the VCS contribution to delivering public services by 5% by 2006. Connexions is the government’s support service for all young people aged 13 to 19. The service aims to provide integrated advice, guidance and access to personal development opportunities for this group and to help them make a smooth transition to adulthood and working life. It joins up the work of six government Departments and their agencies and organisations on the ground, together with private and voluntary sector groups and youth and careers services.The national strategy sets out the key issues for 2004-05 and lists the action proposed to address these issues. The document brings together the DfES strategy for the coming year, with guidelines to help Connexions Partnerships and the local VCS prepare effective local strategies. It urges Connexions Partnerships to develop their own local strategies for involving the VCS.

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