OLYMPIC JOBS: WILL THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT MOST GET THE BENEFITS?

12.20.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 10th Apr 2007

Commenting on the Mayor's announcement that employment, training and skills projects across London are to benefit from an £11 million funding package "to train new sports coaches, cooks and builders who are needed to make London 2012 successful", Liberal Democrat Olympic spokesperson on the London Assembly, Dee Doocey, said:

"Once again, the Mayor's announcement is more hype than substance. £11 million sounds a lot of money but this is only just over £300,000 pounds per borough. I am not convinced this money will reach the people in deprived communities who have the greatest need for training. I recently chaired a meeting of community leaders representing fifteen thousand people from the most deprived communities in London. Not one of them were aware that there were training grants available and when they enquired how to access the funds the LDA said that the funding stream applications were now closed. It is essential that the people who need skills and training the most are given the opportunity to bid for available funding."