The government published a policy framework for small businesses, partly designed to encourage enterprise in disadvantaged communities and among under-represented groups.
Source: Small Business and Government - The way forward, Department of Trade and Industry (020 7215 5000) | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 17.12.02, column 44WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | Hansard
Date: 2002-Dec
A report said that, contrary to a widely held view, the inclusion in public procurement of community benefits such as work and training opportunities is not prohibited by government policy or European Union rules: public bodies can legally insist on terms that bring extra benefits to disadvantaged communities when drawing up procurement contracts and partnership, funding or planning agreements.
Source: Richard Macfarlane and Mark Cook, Achieving Community Benefits through Contracts: Law, policy and practice, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: JRF Findings D12
Date: 2002-Dec
The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that local councils could be given powers to relax planning controls in up to 2,000 new enterprise areas; and that stamp duty on all business property transactions will be abolished in these areas from April 2003 subject to European Union approval.
Source: Steering a Steady Course - Delivering stability, enterprise and fairness in an uncertain world: Pre-Budget Report November 2002, Cm 5664, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | Guardian report
Date: 2002-Nov
A study identified good practice by local authorities and their partners in addressing the issue of run-down private sector housing, and the barriers to developing comprehensive and co-ordinated strategies to address the problem.
Source: Addressing the Needs of Run-Down Private Sector Housing, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (01709 891318)
Links: Report (pdf) | Good practice guide (pdf) | Summary
Date: 2002-Nov
A report said that social landlords have a key role to play in regeneration: but that effective intervention demands better partnerships with residents and other social suppliers to develop the local economy, social organisation and infrastructure.
Source: Tony Trott, Best Practice in Regeneration: Because it works, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2002-Nov
Researchers examined the potential contribution to neighbourhood renewal of residents' consultancy schemes (a variety of initiatives through which residents of areas undergoing regeneration share, or market, the skills acquired through participating in the regeneration process).
Source: Marilyn Taylor, Kamila Zahno, Stephen Thake, Melanie Nock and Kate Jarman, Exploring the Field of Residents Consultancy, Research Report 382, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2002-Nov
A study examined governance mechanisms in various neighbourhoods to identify how local involvement can be applied to mixed tenure areas. It found that, even in areas where community governance is working quite successfully, alienation and a feeling of distance from the sources of power and influence will not be changed quickly.
Source: Martin Knox with David Alcock, Anna Roderick and John Iles, Approaches to Community Governance: Models for mixed tenure communities, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: JRF Findings N102
Date: 2002-Nov
A report highlighted the success of conservation-led regeneration in revitalising historic industrial cities.
Source: Heritage Dividend 2002: Measuring the Results of Heritage Regeneration 1999-2002, English Heritage (0870 333 1181)
Links: None available
Date: 2002-Nov
A report identified constraints on the development of community planning in Scotland, including confusion about what community planning means and the absence of a learning culture around it, which is still at an early stage of development.
Source: Eglinton, Capacity Building for Community Planning - A Report to the Community Planning Task Force, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Report | Research findings
Date: 2002-Nov
A report set out the objectives, targets and resources committed by each Scottish Executive department to ensure that the needs of those living in the most disadvantaged communities are addressed.
Source: Closing the Opportunity Gap, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Report | Press release
Date: 2002-Oct
The government published a guide for non-specialists, which draws out the connections between health and the wider factors influencing health, such as housing, transport and employment; provides a practical guide to help local neighbourhood renewal partnerships address health issues; maps the organisations responsible for providing health services; and provides a guide to initiatives to promote healthier schools and workplaces.
Source: Health and Neighbourhood Renewal: Guidance from the Department of Health and the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit, Department of Health (08701 555455) and Neighbourhood Renewal Unit/Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Links: Guide (pdf)
Date: 2002-Oct
The government announced that spending on the Excellence in Cities programme is to be continued for a further three years, and extended to 13 new areas. (The programme encourages groups of schools in deprived areas to link up as learning networks or communities.)
Source: Press release 14.10.02, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: Press release
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/4, Digest 124, paragraph 3.3
Date: 2002-Oct
Following consultation, the Scottish Executive launched a pilot approach to modernising public services, under which community planning partnerships in twelve areas will use community budgeting to find out whether it delivers better local services, particularly for deprived communities or for communities of interest such as the elderly or children. (Community budgeting is a method of allowing local authorities and their partners, including National Health Service Boards, the police and community groups, to examine the level and nature of public spending in their area.)
Source: Community Budgeting: Responses to a consultation on local services and community engagement, Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400) | Press release 31.10.02, Scottish Executive
Links: Consultation (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2002-Oct
A joint statement by local authorities and the food standards watchdog aimed to promote local initiatives that provide access to safe, sustainable and nutritious food.
Source: Food: The Local Vision, Local Government Association (020 7664 3000), Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services, and Food Standards Agency
Links: Statement (pdf) | Summary
Date: 2002-Oct
Research in Scotland found widespread support for the principles underlying 'community planning', but some evidence that it can mean different things to different people, and limited evidence of the extent to which it impacts on the mainstream business of partner organisations.
Source: Robert Stevenson, Getting "Under the Skin" of Community Planning: Understanding Community Planning at the Community Planning Partnership Level, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Date: 2002-Oct
Following an official review, the government announced a simplified system of area-based initiatives, including: reducing the number of funding streams; mainstreaming the lessons from health action zones and setting a new target for mainstreaming Sure Start services; merging neighbourhood wardens and street wardens; and merging education action zones and Excellence in Cities.
Source: Review of Area Based Initiatives, Regional Co-ordination Unit/Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (020 7944 3000) | Press release 16.10.02, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 30/2, Digest 118, paragraph 10.3
Date: 2002-Oct
The government launched a strategy aimed at improving the skills of all those - residents, professionals, regeneration practitioners, councillors, local and central government officials - involved in neighbourhood renewal projects.
Source: NRU Learning Curve: Developing Skills and Knowledge for Neighbourhood Renewal, Neighbourhood Renewal Unit/Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (020 7944 8383)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2002-Oct
A new book summarised interim findings from local and national evaluations of health action zones. (Health action zones bring together organisations within and beyond the National Health Service in order to develop and implement a locally agreed strategy for improving the health of local people.)
Source: Linda Bauld and Ken Judge, Learning from Health Action Zones, Aeneas Press (01243 779378)
Links: AKD Press homepage
Date: 2002-Oct
An official report conceded that Education Action Zones have so far had little impact at secondary school level.
Source: Education Action Zones: Annual Report 2001, Department for Education and Skills (0800 731 9133)
Links: Report (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 3.1
Date: 2002-Sep
A report discussed the political background to neighbourhood renewal, and discussed the contribution which housing practitioners can make to the different strands within neighbourhood renewal.
Source: Aaron Cahill et al., Making the Links: Implementing Neighbourhood Renewal, National Housing Federation (020 7278 6571)
Links: NHF homepage
Date: 2002-Jul
The Scottish Executive published plans for regenerating Scotland s most deprived communities.
Source: Better Communities in Scotland: Closing the Gap, Scottish Executive (0131 2441537)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2002-Jun
An audit report found local service providers struggling with the volume of central initiatives on neighbourhood renewal.
Source: Neighbourhood Renewal, Audit Commission (0800 502030)
Links: Report (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123 (paragraph 4.6)
Date: 2002-Jun
An official report said that most area-based initiatives are a distraction from the need to tackle problems in mainstream services.
Source: M. Stewart, et al., Collaboration and Co-ordination in Area-Based Initiatives: Research Report 1 - Final Report to the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, Neighbourhood Renewal Unit/Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (0870 122 6236)
Links: Summary (pdf) | Report (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 30/2, Digest 118 (paragraph 10.3)
Date: 2002-May
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was separated from the Cabinet Office, and will have responsibility for some cross-cutting issues including social exclusion and neighbourhood renewal.
Source: Press release 29.5.02, Cabinet Office (020 7261 8527)
Links: Cabinet Office press release
Date: 2002-May
Researchers found that active local drug markets damage community confidence and hinder regeneration.
Source: R. Lupton et al., Drug Markets in Deprived Neighbourhoods, Research Findings 167, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Findings (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/1, Digest 121 (paragraph 6.2)
Date: 2002-May