A FLAGSHIP council policy to invest in Wigan borough’s community groups and voluntary sector is delivering long-term savings and has attracted external funding, according to a report.

The town hall says since the launch of the Community Investment Fund (CIF), more than ‘£2m of direct cashable (recurrent) savings’ have been found and residents in ‘hardest to reach groups’ have reaped the benefits.

Authority bosses launched the CIF in 2013 to help mitigate the impact of funding cuts with a view to boost community organisations and help reduce demand on public services.

A report tabled for a committee meeting next week says more than £10m of funding will have been provided by the end of 2018 and has helped the council ‘keep libraries open and keep school crossing patrols intact.’

“The fund is more than simply giving out money, it marks a partnership between Wigan council and its community, a co-designed process and an ongoing strengthened relationship, ” the report reads.

“It also has a focus on enabling groups to build in sustainability as the fund can be used as match funding to bring in greater investment into the borough.”

Groups and organisations are able to apply for CIF funding, with contributions split into small investment, start-up investment and big idea investment categories.

The CIF scheme has attracted £5.5m in match funding from non-council sources, the report adds, while every £1 spent on big idea schemes has been matched with 79p from other non-council steams.

For every £1 spent, £1.63 was generated in public value, the report adds, with funded organisations supporting 460,000 attendances at groups across the borough, 4,175 residents diverted from front-line services and 965 volunteers delivering 23,088 of support.

The report will be discussed by members of the council’s confident places scrutiny committee today, Monday.

Council bosses will reveal whether the CIF will be extended in next year’s financial plans when its new budget is revealed early in 2019.