Questions raised over funding for community group

COUNCILLORS have raised concern over the level of funding provided to a team set up to tackle antisocial behaviour.

- By JAMES ROBINSON

The Empowering People in Communities (EPiC) was launched by Newcastle City Council last year and has helped clean up back lanes blighted by fly-tipping, delivered family fun days, and put community safety officers into neighbourhoods.

There were doubts over the future of the programme earlier this year, but council bosses committed to a further £375,000 investment in this year's budget. This followed an initial £1.5m funded from dividends from the council’s shares in Newcastle Airport.

But speaking at Thursday's meeting of the local authority's scrutiny committee, Monument councillor Nabeela Ali questioned whether the money was being wisely spent.