THE North-East is to receive a £53m cash injection from the Government to tackle deprivation.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott announced yesterday that £400m worth of Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) money is to be allocated to the 88 most deprived areas of Britain, 14 of which are in the North-East.

The money can go towards schemes and projects that help tackle poor health, crime, housing and education and create jobs.

The money is invested in each area by Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs), made up of residents and representatives from local authorities, and the private and voluntary sector.

Barbara Roche, Minister for Social Exclusion and Equality, said: "Local people know best what the priorities of their neighbourhood are. There is no one size fits all solution. On Teesside, the impact of wardens is reducing anti-social behaviour on the streets, while in Newcastle, the income of vulnerable residents in some of the city's most deprived wards could rise by as much as £87 per week thanks to NRF support for a project which helps people claim what they are entitled to."

Sunderland will be one of the main beneficiaries of the fund, having been awarded £7.16m.

Derwentside Partnership will decide at the end of the month where to allocate its £1.48m. But some of the schemes being considered include equipping about 300 homes in deprived areas of Derwentside with laptop computers and Internet access, which can be used for education, and setting up a Smart Card scheme for schoolchildren to receive points for good behaviour.

The local authorities to receive money are; Derwentside, £1.48m; Easington, £4.43m; Gateshead, £4.64m; Hartlepool, £3.13m; Middlesbrough, £5.24m; Newcastle, £6.84m; North Tyneside, £3.07m; Redcar and Cleveland, £3.47m; Sedgefield, £1.13m; South Tyneside, £5.38m; Stockton, £3.85m; Sunderland, £7.16m; Wansbeck, £1.37m; Wear Valley, £1.70m.