Highfield residents will hear early in the New Year whether they are to get a £4 million grant to breathe new life into their community.

Government officials are expected to decide on the bid for Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) cash next month. They will choose several of the 36 bids for 'round five' funding received from towns around the Yorkshire and Humberside region. The ambitious Keighley scheme involves restoring run-down houses and involving residents, businesses and local agencies in community improvements.

Andy Mudd, chairman of Keighley Regener-ation Partnership Board, is confident the government will look kindly on its application for cash. He says: "It's a good bid, an innovative bid, and we have a good track record in Keighley with our current regeneration projects."

A new batch of Single Regeneration Budget projects, already approved by the partnership board, received the green light from Bradford councillors this week.

The council's Keighley Area Panel approved eight schemes worth more than £250,000 from the seven-year £18.7 million SRB pot.

They included sports leader training by the Keighley Cougars Community Trust, a Braithwaite girls' dance group, land improvement around Keighley and innovative safety training for Keighley schoolchildren.

A £130,000 grant will be spent improving an industrial estate on the former Dean Smith & Grace site and providing ten new units.

The Keighley News last week wrongly stated that extra SRB cash has been approved for Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, the Furniture Store, Community Nursery, Cliffe Castle Nursery, Radio Ramadan and Greenhead anti-truancy scheme. The schemes are among 20 which may be given top-up cash in the near future, but decisions will not be taken until the New Year.

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