Two research studies concluded that investing in disadvantaged areas made good business sense. The first report was based on a study of commercial investment returns in the 20 per cent most deprived wards. The second report focused on key regeneration areas and analysed returns over both long-term and short-term time scales on urban regeneration properties.
Source: Investment Property Databank, Commercial Property Returns in Deprived Areas, English Partnerships (01925 644635) and Morley Fund Management | Alastair Adair et al., Benchmarking Urban Regeneration, RICS Foundation (020 7695 1568) and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Links: IPD report (pdf) | IPD summary (pdf) | Benchmarking report (pdf) | Benchmarking summary (pdf) | English Partnerships press release
Date: 2003-Dec
Communities Scotland (the Scottish Executive s housing and regeneration agency) published its annual report for 2002-03, its first full year of operation. Of the 28 targets it had been set, it said it had met or bettered 22. An investment programme of 217 million had delivered 4,759 new and improved homes, against a target of 4700. 129 million of private finance had been generated, against a target of 120 million.
Source: Annual Report and Accounts 2002-03, Communities Scotland (0131 313 0044)
Links: Report (pdf) | Communities Scotland press release
Date: 2003-Dec
The government published advice for central and local government agencies on how to build community cohesion principles into area-based initiatives.
Source: Community Cohesion Advice for those Designing, Developing and Delivering Area Based Initiatives (ABIs) Building cohesion into regeneration and renewal, Home Office (020 7035 5479) and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Links: Advice (pdf) | Home Office press release
Date: 2003-Dec
A briefing highlighted common objectives and opportunities for joint work between the 'national healthy school standard' (designed to help schools become 'healthier, more effective and socially inclusive') and neighbourhood renewal. It focused on practical suggestions for partnership work and outputs, at regional, local and neighbourhood levels.
Source: National Healthy School Standard and Neighbourhood Renewal: Working together, Health Development Agency (020 7430 0850)
Links: Briefing (pdf)
Date: 2003-Dec
The Pre-Budget Report contained measures to promote economic development in deprived areas. Businesses in high unemployment areas would qualify for 100 per cent capital allowances on the capital costs of renovating business premises that had been vacant for a year.
Source: Pre-Budget Report: The strength to take the long-term decisions for Britain - Seizing the opportunities of the global recovery, Cm 6042, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 10 December 2003, columns 1061-1086, TSO
Links: Report (pdf) | Hansard
Date: 2003-Dec
A report said that weak economic development practices among local authorities were resulting in education being overlooked as a cornerstone of regeneration. Local partnerships were urged to treat education as an economic driver rather than a service, in order to improve their poor record on business development.
Source: Mark Hepworth, The Knowledge Economy Agenda for Local Authorities, Local Futures Group (020 7520 8120)
Links: Summary
Date: 2003-Nov
Following consultation, the government published guidance clarifying the objectives of community empowerment networks. They would be expected to focus effort and resources on supporting community involvement in neighbourhood partnerships delivering local neighbourhood renewal strategies. (Community empowerment networks were established in 2001 to enable the community and voluntary sectors to participate in local strategic partnerships with local authorities.)
Source: Single Community Programme Guidance, Neighbourhood Renewal Unit/Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (web publication only) | Marilyn Taylor Associates, Analysis of Consultation Responses on the Review of Community Participation, Neighbourhood Renewal Unit/Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (web publication only)
Links: Guidance (pdf) | Consultation responses (pdf)
Date: 2003-Nov
A new book explored 12 of the most disadvantaged areas in England and Wales, combining evidence from neighbourhood statistics, photographs and the accounts of local people with analysis of broader social and economic trends. It assessed the effect of government policies since 1997, and considered future prospects for reducing area-based inequalities.
Source: Ruth Lupton, Poverty Street: The dynamics of neighbourhood decline and renewal, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2003-Nov
The government announced new measures enabling local authorities to promote economic development. It said it would proceed with the local authority business growth scheme, which could mean an additional 1 billion for local authorities by allowing them to retain a proportion of the growth in business rate income to spend on local priorities. It also published a guide to policy measures already available to promote regeneration in the most deprived communities, including stamp duty exemptions on local property transactions and community investment tax relief.
Source: Press release 17 November 2003, HM Treasury (020 7270 4558) | Enterprise Areas: Tackling barriers to enterprise in our most disadvantaged communities, HM Treasury (020 7270 4558) and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Links: HMT press release | Guide (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Nov
A report set out findings from an evaluation of employment zones. It examined the wider labour market impacts of the programme, and sought to establish the extent of any positive impact on the client group. The programme was found to have raised unemployment outflows from the client group by a little over 1 percentage point. But a second report said that employment zones 'significantly' increased the chances of participants gaining paid work compared to what would have been the case if New Deal 25 Plus had been the programme operating in the areas concerned. (Employment zones are areas in which private contractors are used to provide back-to-work services for long-term unemployed people.)
Source: Chris Hasluck, Peter Elias and Anne Green, The Wider Labour Market Impact of Employment Zones, W175, Department for Work and Pensions (0114 209 8274) | Jon Hales, Rebecca Taylor, William Mandy and Melissa Miller, Evaluation of Employment Zones: Report on a cohort survey of long-term unemployed people in the zones and a matched set of comparison areas, W176, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Report 175 (pdf) | Summary 175 (pdf) | Report 176 (pdf) | Summary 176 (pdf)
Date: 2003-Nov
An interim evaluation of the Children s Fund found that it was raising the profile of prevention and preventative services in local areas. But there were tensions within partnerships over the role and purpose of prevention. Guidance saying that 25 per cent of the Children s Fund should focus on youth crime and crime reduction was seen as unhelpful. (The research was based on interviews with all 149 programme managers. The Fund aims to address the negative impact of social exclusion on children and young people aged 5-13: it was introduced in England between November 2000 and April 2003, and is administered by multi-agency partnerships.)
Source: Kate Morris and Neil Spicer, The National Evaluation of the Children s Fund: Early messages from developing practice, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (Word file)
Date: 2003-Nov
A report said the policy of focusing childcare services on families living in the most disadvantaged areas neglected the needs of poorer children living elsewhere: 46 per cent of children living in poverty did not live in the targeted zones, but in poor neighbourhoods in otherwise better-off areas. It also said the availability of registered childcare places for children under 8 ranged from 1 place for every 5 children in some areas to 1 for every 7 in others, and the typical cost of a nursery place varied from 107 to 168 a week across the country.
Source: Facing the Childcare Challenge, Daycare Trust (020 7840 3350)
Links: Daycare Trust press release | Guardian report | Community Care report
Date: 2003-Nov
Research found 'cumulative and increasingly convincing' evidence that extended schools had potentially beneficial impacts on pupils, families and communities. Responding to the report, the government called for the establishment of more extended schools. (An extended school is one which provides a range of services and activities outside the taught curriculum to meet the wider learning needs of its pupils, their families and the local community.)
Source: Colleen Cummings, Liz Todd and Alan Dyson, Extended Schools Pathfinder Evaluation: Issues for schools and local education authorities, Research Brief RBX18-03, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260) | Press release 22 October 2003, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: Brief (pdf) | DfES press release
Date: 2003-Oct
Cabinet ministers were reportedly split over whether or not to continue the neighbourhood renewal fund at the end of its three-year term. (The final tranche of the 900 million scheme, directed towards England's 26 poorest areas, was allocated in September 2003.)
Source: The Guardian, 10 October 2003
Links: Guardian report
Date: 2003-Oct
A report examined the implications for the voluntary and community sector of the ending of the 'single regeneration budget' programme. It said social regeneration projects faced a funding gap of up to 60 million because money from regional development agencies single pot was focused on economic improvement. Dozens of community empowerment and capacity building projects could face closure.
Source: Sarah Fishbourne and Caroline Gaunt, Out of SRB, Into the Pot, Urban Forum (020 7253 4816)
Links: Summary (pdf) | Community Care article
Date: 2003-Oct
A report argued that local government had a strategic role to play in integrating social inclusion and education, and identified key areas where there was a need to deliver comprehensive support for schools, pupils and their families. It highlighted six projects where schools, community groups, education, health and social services had collaborated to improve services for children.
Source: Liz Allen, Schools Beyond the Classroom: Managing collaboration for social inclusion, New Local Government Network (020 7357 0051)
Links: Summary (pdf) | NGLN press release
Date: 2003-Oct
The schools inspectorate said that three initiatives to tackle barriers to achievement by pupils in disadvantaged areas (education action zones, excellence clusters and the 'excellence in cities' programme) were producing promising work, but that better monitoring and evaluation were needed.
Source: Education Action Zones: Tackling difficult issues in round 2 zones, HMI 1711, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833) | Excellence Clusters: The first ten inspections, HMI 1732, Office for Standards in Education | Excellence in Cities: City Learning Centres - Evaluation of the first year, HMI 1655, Office for Standards in Education
Links: Report 1711 (pdf) | Report 1732 (pdf) | Report 1655 (pdf) | Ofsted press release | DfES press release | Community Care article
Date: 2003-Oct
A report said that property development returns in deprived urban areas could out-perform the market average. The best returns were in retail developments, where annualised returns of 15 per cent were reported, compared with a national benchmark of 11 per cent. Returns of 12.8 per cent were recorded in the industrial sector.
Source: Alastair Adair et al., Benchmarking of Urban Regeneration Performance, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | ESRC press release
Date: 2003-Oct
A report said that lasting improvements in the quality of life of vulnerable people could only be achieved if special and specific government grants (tackling issues like child poverty, homelessness and education standards) were targeted where they were most needed. Government departments used a range of different approaches to distribute grants, some less effectively than others, and there were often gaps in grant funding.
Source: Funding a Better Future, Association of London Government (020 7934 9999)
Links: Report (links to papers) | ALG press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Oct
A report presented the findings from the first year of a national evaluation of the New Deal for Communities programme (a 10-year area-based initiative in England designed to 'reduce the gaps between some of the poorest neighbourhoods and the rest of the country'). It was found that NDC partnerships had put a 'huge effort' into identifying, and engaging with, their local communities. Partnership working was widely seen as creating benefits including agency engagement, enhanced project delivery, and improvements in mainstream services. Relationships between local authorities and NDC partnerships appeared to be improving, but there were still tensions. Partnerships had often made greater progress in relation to crime than in other outcome areas. Health had generally proved problematic, and major housing investment initiatives might need to be reviewed. There were acute staffing problems, with only 40 per cent of the schemes fully staffed.
Source: New Deal for Communities: The National Evaluation - Annual Report 2002/03, Neighbourhood Renewal Unit/Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (020 7944 8383)
Links: Report (pdf) | Key findings (pdf) | ODPM press release | Guardian report | Community Care article
Date: 2003-Oct
The Northern Ireland Executive announced that education action zones were to be established to help tackle disadvantage in local communities. It said the zones would be child-centred, multi-agency responses based in local schools and working with the local community to improve services.
Source: Press release 9 October 2003, Department of Education/Northern Ireland Executive (028 9127 9391)
Links: NIE press release
Date: 2003-Oct
A report described the benefits of joint working between mental health and regeneration agencies to tackle social exclusion.
Source: Marsaili Cameron, Teresa Edmans, Angela Greatley and David Morris, Community Renewal and Mental Health: Strengthening the links, King s Fund (020 7307 2591)
Links: Report (pdf) | KF press release
Date: 2003-Sep
A report said that projects to improve green spaces could also have a long-term impact on the social fabric of communities. It said that a community-led approach delivered wider benefits such as providing education and training, connecting people with their local environment and building social capital. (Researchers examined 60 Barclays 'SiteSavers' projects dating back to 1996.)
Source: Barclays SiteSavers and Sustainability: Making change happen and making it last, Groundwork UK (0121 236 8565)
Links: Groundwork press release
Date: 2003-Sep
A research report said that local government and voluntary agencies wanting to facilitate sustainable regeneration should support and develop community waste projects. The projects brought considerable benefits to the areas in which they were located, not only helping the environment but also fuelling regeneration through social support, volunteer and training opportunities, as well as the provision of jobs.
Source: David Luckin and Liz Sharp, Sustainable Development in Practice: Community waste projects in the UK, Department of Geography and Environmental Science/University of Bradford (01274 235694)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | ESRC press release
Date: 2003-Sep
A report presented the findings of a survey of community workers carried out in 2001-02 - said to be the first such survey for nearly 20 years - and provided a commentary on the implications for the community development profession.
Source: Andrew Glen, Paul Henderson, Jayne Humm, Helen Meszaros with Maire Gaffney, Survey of Community Workers in the UK, Community Development Foundation (020 7226 5375) and Standing Conference for Community Development
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2003-Sep
An Audit Commission report said that the results from the first inspections of regeneration services were largely positive, with more than 70 per cent of councils rated good or excellent. The report brought together the findings of over 65 inspections of economic and community regeneration services.
Source: Economic and Community Regeneration: Learning from inspection, Audit Commission (0800 502030)
Links: Report | Audit Commission press release
Date: 2003-Sep
A survey of unpaid volunteers from local strategic partnerships and community empowerment networks found that local residents were in danger of being squeezed out of grassroots regeneration initiatives, due to 'dictation and dominance' by government officials. Participants in the survey pointed to a 'confusing' number of initiatives and a 'phenomenal' amount of paperwork and jargon associated with central government regeneration schemes.
Source: Quest Consultation on NRU Community Participation Review, Quest Trust (01225 466328)
Links: Report (pdf) | Report
Date: 2003-Sep
The government announced the names of 61 'extended schools' that would be funded to provide a full range of community services. By 2006, at least one school in every local education authority would receive this funding. The services that would be provided included childcare, health and social care, lifelong learning, family learning, study support, sports, art, and access to information and communications technology.
Source: Press release 24 September 2003, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: DfES press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Sep
A study explored how schools in two disadvantaged areas saw their roles, what activities they undertook and the successes and problems they experienced. It was found that schools often remained disconnected from regeneration initiatives in their surrounding neighbourhoods. Regeneration planners at all levels needed to make it easier for schools to contribute to a coherent local strategy, rather than leaving them to work at arm s length from renewal programmes.
Source: Deanne Crowther, Colleen Cummings, Alan Dyson and Alan Millward, Schools and Area Regeneration, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: JRF Findings 983 | JRF press release
Date: 2003-Sep
The government published draft guidance on the assessment of the distributional impacts of interventions with a spatial focus (regeneration, renewal and regional development initiatives).
Source: Assessing the Impacts of Spatial Interventions, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (0870 1226 236)
Links: Guidance (pdf) | Guidance
Date: 2003-Sep
The Scottish Executive began consultation on whether urban regeneration companies were part of the solution to speeding up economic and community regeneration in Scotland.
Source: Urban Regeneration Companies: Consultation paper - Challenging practice, testing innovation, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | Consultation document | SE press release
Date: 2003-Aug
A report said that banks should fully disclose what and where they were lending, to improve access to finance in disadvantaged communities. It suggested three key tests which could serve to promote effective disclosure, and explored whether a pilot programme had helped improve access to finance and increase local economic buoyancy. (The project was supported by Barclays Bank, described as the first bank to publish information about its deposit and lending levels in the most deprived areas.)
Source: Sarah McGeehan, Sarah Forster and Ed Mayo, Power of Information: Opportunities for Disclosure, New Economics Foundation, available from Central Books (020 8986 5488)
Links: Report (pdf) | NEF press release
Date: 2003-Aug
A report highlighted the 'vital but underdeveloped' contribution that education organisations (particularly further education colleges and local authority adult education services) were making to revitalising deprived communities.
Source: Sue Taylor and Lisa Doyle, Learning and Skills for Neighbourhood Renewal: Final report to the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit, Learning and Skills Development Agency (web publication only)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | LSDA press release (pdf)
Date: 2003-Aug
The annual report for English Partnerships (a delivery agency for government regeneration projects) showed it failed to hit 13 out of 14 targets in 2002-03, including those for affordable housing and private sector investment. English Partnerships reportedly said that the targets were outdated, because of its new role in delivering the government's 'sustainable communities plan'.
Source: Annual Report and Financial Statements (2002/2003), English Partnerships (01925 644635)
Links: Report (pdf) | Regeneration news story
Date: 2003-Aug
A report reviewed progress made on implementing the recommendations made in 2000 by a taskforce on social investment. It highlighted the introduction of a community investment tax relief; the setting up of the first community development venture fund; and progress toward disclosure by banks of their lending in under-invested communities.
Source: Enterprising Communities: Wealth beyond welfare, Social Investment Task Force/Community Development Finance Association (020 7430 0222)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Aug
A report said that integrated (formerly 'new') community schools in Scotland were perceived to have promoted more inclusive approaches for vulnerable pupils, and to have improved the recording and identification of vulnerable groups, particularly looked after and accommodated children. They had also improved pupils' attitudes to school, and had a marked impact on the curriculum in the areas of health education and promotion. But they had variable success in engaging families. (New community schools were established in 1999 to expand the range of services offered to young people in disadvantaged areas, with the intention of both raising attainment and promoting social inclusion.)
Source: Pamela Sammons, Sally Power, Karen Elliot, Pamela Robertson, Carol Campbell and Geoff Whitty, Key Findings from the National Evaluation of the New Community Schools Pilot Programme in Scotland, Insight 7, Scottish Executive (0131 244 0092)
Links: Report (pdf) | Report | SE press release
Date: 2003-Aug
A report said that involving local people can help grant-making organisations wishing to support local community groups through small grants: local people know which groups are to be trusted and which require caution, they take grant decision-making seriously, and they show 'admirable fairness'.
Source: June Lightfoot, Local People and Small Grants: Involving local people in small grant decision-making, Community Development Foundation (020 7226 5375)
Links: No link
Date: 2003-Aug
A study looked at the potential for maximising the linkages between area-based and wider approaches to tackling social exclusion and area regeneration. It was found that many national and local initiatives were still a long way from the goal of genuine partnerships and multi-agency working. The authors said that central government should set a better example by making its own departments and agencies more joined-up .
Source: Alan McGregor, Andrea Glass, Kevin Higgins, Lynne Macdougall and Victoria Sutherland, Developing People Regenerating Place: Achieving greater integration for local area regeneration, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: JRF Findings 753 | JRF press release
Date: 2003-Jul
A study reviewed ways in which neighbourhood renewal partnerships gained information, training and support, and recommended how this process could be improved.
Source: Kelvin MacDonald, Sustaining Networks: How regeneration partnerships learn and develop, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241)
Links: Report (pdf) | JRF Findings 743
Date: 2003-Jul
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on the effectiveness of regeneration initiatives. It said that it agreed with the importance of a 'holistic' approach to regeneration - one which took account of physical, economic and social problems in an integrated manner, not least to ensure sustainability.
Source: The Government's Response to the ODPM Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions Committee's Report on the Effectiveness of Government Regeneration Initiatives, Cm 5865, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response (pdf) | MPs' report
Date: 2003-Jul
A paper said that there were very few studies of what actually worked well in getting more people involved in regeneration initiatives, and even fewer that succeeded in identifying the consequences positive or negative of greater involvement.
Source: Paul Burton, Community Involvement in Neighbourhood Regeneration: Stairway to heaven or road to nowhere?, CNR Paper 13, ESRC Centre for Neighbourhood Research (0141 330 5408)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jul
A study examined ways in which relatively affluent local authorities were tackling the problems of pockets of deprivation, without access to specific deprivation funding.
Source: Tackling Pockets of Deprivation: Lessons from local authorities' social inclusion work, Local Government Association (020 7664 3000)
Links: Report (pdf) | LGA press release
Date: 2003-Jul
Researchers reported favourably on the 'schools plus' pilots involving schools in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. The pilots were designed to test the effectiveness of the team approach in developing schools plus activities, including developing study support and out of school hours learning programmes; working with a wider range of parents, and developing family learning programmes; and developing links between the schools and their communities.
Source: Catherine Shaw, Becoming Seamless : Evaluation of the Schools Plus teams pilot project, Research Report 447, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jul
The schools inspectorate found that the performance in maths and English of schools involved in the 'Excellence in Cities' and 'Education Action Zone' schemes had improved by a little more than the national rate, and that the initiatives had made a positive impact in a number of schools - but not comprehensively and consistently so.
Source: Excellence in Cities and Education Action Zones: Management and impact, HMI 1399, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: Report (pdf) | OFSTED press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Jun
A report evaluated learning support for 'community champions'. It said that greater efforts were needed to target less experienced and less qualified potential champions, and to ensure a more integrated approach linking with other sources of funding and support. (The community champions fund provides small grants to support individuals involved in community-based regeneration projects, by developing their skills and helping them pass on their expertise to others.)
Source: Derrick Johnstone and Claire Campbell-Jones, Skills for Regeneration: Learning by Community Champions, Research Report 441, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jun
The government published a progress report on measures to simplify the funding of area-based initiatives, reduce bureaucracy, and improve co-ordination. It said the report showed that 'significant progress' had been made.
Source: Review of Area Based Initiatives: Impacts and Outcomes, Regional Co-ordination Unit/Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (020 7944 3000) | Press release 5.6.03, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (020 7944 3000)
Links: Report (pdf) | ODPM press release
Date: 2003-Jun
The government began consultation on the conclusions of its 'community participation review' (designed to improve its community participation strategy and community programmes so that they better met community needs). It was proposed to bring all three existing programmes and budgets together into a single community programme; and that one activity stream of the single programme would provide community support for delivery of local neighbourhood renewal strategies in the most deprived neighbourhoods in 2004-06.
Source: Review of Community Participation: Report for public consultation, Neighbourhood Renewal Unit/Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (020 7944 8383)
Links: Consultation document (pdf)
Date: 2003-May
Researchers considered what lessons could be transferred from local authorities past experience with 'Local Agenda 21' and the new duty placed on them by central government to produce community strategies. (Local Agenda 21 was a policy tool aimed at encouraging local authorities to promote more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable communities.)
Source: Karen Lucas, Andrew Ross and Sara Fuller, What s in a Name? Local Agenda 21, community planning and neighbourhood renewal, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 431213)
Links: Report (pdf) | JRF Findings 583
Date: 2003-May
The New Deal for Communities annual review for 2001-02 was published. It said that NDC partnerships had made 'significant progress' towards their long-term goal of narrowing the gap between the poorest neighbourhoods and the rest of the country.
Source: New Deal for Communities: Annual review 2001-02, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (0870 1226 236)
Links: NDC review (pdf)
Date: 2003-Apr
The government announced individual allocations totalling 800 million to 88 deprived areas, as part of the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund s 975 million Spending Review 2002 settlement. A further 86 million was announced to fund continuing community participation work in the areas concerned.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 8.4.03, columns 10-11WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | ODPM press release
Date: 2003-Apr
A committee of MPs said that the most deprived areas suffered from a combination of physical, economic and social problems; and that regeneration would only be successful and sustainable if programmes sought to address a wide range of challenges, striking a balance between 'people' and 'place' based regeneration.
Source: The Effectiveness of Government Regeneration Initiatives, Seventh Report (Session 2002-03), HC76-I, House of Commons Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2003-Apr
A report said that communities, business and government could boost the local economy of disadvantaged urban and rural areas by fostering links in the local business supply chain.
Source: Justin Sacks, The Money Trail, New Economics Foundation and Countryside Agency, available from Central Books (020 8986 5488)
Links: Report (pdf) | NEF press release
Date: 2003-Apr
The government announced a 7.4 million programme of measures to tackle disadvantage in working class communities across Northern Ireland. It said the measures, targeted at improving health, education, and physical and community regeneration, were intended to build trust and confidence in disadvantaged communities and tackle poor public services in these areas.
Source: Press release 24.4.03, Northern Ireland Executive (028 9052 0500)
Links: NIE press release
Date: 2003-Apr
The Budget 2003 confirmed the introduction (from 10 April 2003) of an exemption from stamp duty on all commercial (non-residential) properties in the most disadvantaged areas. Opposition parties criticised windfall gains for property developers in areas such as Canary Wharf in east London.
Source: Budget 2003: Building a Britain of economic strength and social justice - Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report, and Financial Statement and Budget Report, HC 500, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debates 9.4.03, columns 271-372, TSO | Stamp Duty: Disadvantaged Areas Relief, SP1/2003, Inland Revenue (020 7438 6420) | Financial Times, 11.4.03
Links: Report | Technical annex (pdf) | Budget speech | Hansard | HMT press releases index | Inland Revenue statement of practice (pdf) | Inland Revenue press release
Date: 2003-Apr
The government announced the allocation of 400 million from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund to the 88 most deprived areas of England, covering the year 2003-04.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 17.3.03, columns 33-34WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | ODPM press release
Date: 2003-Mar
The second annual report on the New Deal for Communities said the programme had achieved a 'significant impact' in the key areas of crime, education, employment, health, housing and the physical environment. (The NDC programme was launched in 1998: over a 10-year period it is investing around 2 billion in 39 severely deprived areas.)
Source: New Deal for Communities: Annual review 2001-02, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (0870 1226 236)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Mar
A report examined how organisations can work effectively in communities, and in partnership with local community groups. It focused on the role and skills needed by managers if ambitious regeneration and social inclusion programmes are to work in communities.
Source: Sarah Banks, Hugh Butcher, Paul Henderson and Jim Robertson, Managing Community Practice: Principles, policies and programmes, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2003-Mar
A study explored the present and potential contribution of faith communities and their members to regeneration, and their relationship to official neighbourhood renewal programmes.
Source: Richard Farnell, Robert Furbey, Stephen Shams al Haqq Hills, Marie Macey and Greg Smith, 'Faith in Urban Regeneration? Engaging faith communities in urban regeneration, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: JRF Findings 413 | Catholic Church press release
Date: 2003-Feb
A report argued that community-based organisations are in danger of being co-opted by government as it attempts to tackle social exclusion. Research found concern among some groups that they are being used as instruments of government policy , and they risk losing the trust of the people they serve.
Source: Helen McCarthy, Inside Out: Rethinking inclusive communities, Demos, available from Central Books (020 8986 5488)
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Feb
A report examined how a 'community gateway model' could be implemented in council stock options appraisals to give tenants and communities a range of options for empowerment, including housing co-operatives, in their local communities.
Source: HACAS Chapman Hendy, Empowering Communities: The Community Gateway Model, Chartered Institute of Housing (02476 851752), Confederation of Co-operative Housing, and Co-operative Union
Links: Summary (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2003-Jan
A think-tank report said that, despite public support and its own statements about the need to support community, the government has yet to release substantial new funding targeting areas such as improving public spaces, ensuring safe and secure neighbourhoods, and developing trust between residents and public authorities.
Source: Victoria Nash with Ian Christie, Making Sense of Community, Institute for Public Policy Research, available from Central Books (0845 458 9911)
Links: Summary | Press release
Date: 2003-Jan
A report examined ways of improving access to information technology by ethnic minority groups in deprived areas, in the context of the government's neighbourhood renewal strategy.
Source: CLES Consulting, MCCR and CEMVO, Supporting Access to ICT for BME Groups in Deprived Areas: Approaches to Good Practice, Research Report 388, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jan