THE Government has officially authorised Newcastle's strategic partnership - unlocking £15m for regeneration projects in the city over three years.

The accreditation releases the city's allocation of the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF).

This means neighbourhood and regeneration projects will benefit to the tune of £3.5m for the financial year of 2001/02, £5.132m for 2002/3, and more than £6m for 2004/5.

Cabinet member for housing and regeneration, Councillor Ruth Robson, said: "This means the council has been judged as having successfully laid the foundations for an inclusive and effective citywide partnership to tackle regeneration and neighbourhood renewal.

Accreditation follows a rigorous self-assessment of the strategic partnership against the Department of Transport Local Government Regions criteria