A review of Government-funded spending designed to address unemployment has highlighted 18 projects that could be at risk of cuts due to poor performance.

A total of 38 schemes are funded through the £40 million of Working Neighbourhoods Fund that the Council will receive to March 2011.

Nineteen have been given a green light, such as sessions to vulnerable pupils to promote reading and support transition to primary schooling, the Community Warmth free insulation scheme, 30 new neighbourhood wardens, a financial inclusion scheme offering advice and financial illiteracy sessions, and independent domestic violence advisors.

But 11 have received an amber rating, and seven are classed as red. Six schemes which have been flagged up due to project contracts not being completed or grant claims not being submitted, are to be given one month to turn themselves around – or lose its funding.

These include an alcohol arrest referral scheme, integrated offender management, new arrivals support, community cohesion in partnership, early years provision, and supporting parents of children in transition.

Further work needs to be done on the impact and risks of stopping any of the amber or red schemes to enable those funds to be re-directed. The review is aimed at directing the funding to the best possible use if projects are not performing well.

In a report to Bradford Council’s corporate improvement committee, Mary Weastell, the strategic director for performance and commissioning, and Becky Hellard, the strategic director for corporate services, said: “Given that it is unlikely that there will be any replacement funding for WNF, careful consideration needs to be given to what may be the last opportunity to strategically direct such funding for the district.”

There are a number of projects that will require funding from the Council’s base budget from March 2011 when the WNF money stops.

The report will be discussed at the Council meeting which takes place on Wednesday from 6pm.