A report examined the evidence available on the impact of a range of contextual and process factors on turnout for elections to New Deal for Communities partnership boards.
Source: Deirdre Duffy, Deborah Platts-Fowler and Peter Wells, Neighbourhood Governance: Making NDC elections a significant event for partnerships and communities?, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Dec
A report summarized lessons from four New Deal for Communities programmes on efforts to tackle worklessness, giving examples of progress made, the problems faced, and projects used to address them. It provided a guide to some of the issues relevant to neighbourhood-level interventions to tackle worklessness.
Source: Scott Dickinson et al., Tackling Worklessness in NDC Areas: A policy and practice update, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Dec
A report examined the experiences of New Deal for Communities partnerships in developing appropriate arrangements for succession, as they approached the end of the 10-year grant-funded period.
Source: Shared Intelligence, Delivering Succession Strategies, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Dec
A report examined progress on the government's commitment to ensure that minority-ethnic groups benefited from neighbourhood renewal, focusing on the work of an internal advisory group. There was some concern among members of the group that there had been a reduction in the priority placed on race equality issues within the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Source: Race Equality Advisory Group: A five-year review, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Dec
A report said that refurbishment was a more sustainable option for housing in run-down urban areas, compared with wholesale demolition and rebuilding.
Source: Knock It Down Or Do It Up? Sustainable house building – new build and refurbishment in the Sustainable Communities Plan, Building Research Establishment (01923 664000)
Links: BRE press release
Date: 2008-Nov
An article examined whether Sure Start Local Programmes in England affected the well-being of children (at age 3) and their families. After controlling for background factors, beneficial effects were found to be associated with the programmes for 5 out of 14 outcomes. Children in the SSLP areas showed better social development than those in the non-SSLP areas, with more positive social behaviour and greater independence. Families in SSLP areas showed less negative parenting, and provided a better home-learning environment. These families used more services for supporting child and family development than those not living in SSLP areas. The contrast between these and previous findings on the effect of SSLPs might indicate increased exposure to programmes that had become more effective.
Source: Edward Melhuish, Jay Belsky, Alastair Leyland and Jacqueline Barnes, 'Effects of fully-established Sure Start Local Programmes on 3-year-old children and their families living in England: a quasi-experimental observational study', The Lancet, 8 November 2008
Links: Abstract | Guardian report | Pulse report
Date: 2008-Nov
A report examined regeneration agencies' experience of using a townscape and heritage appraisal in assessing the character and identity of a place. Townscape and heritage appraisals offered a systematic and structured way of exploiting the unique historical features of an area, helping to give new developments both character and a sense of place.
Source: Ivor Samuels and Jo Clark, Character and Identity: Townscape and heritage appraisals in housing market renewal areas, Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (020 7960 2400) and English Heritage
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Nov
A report examined the role that neighbourhood management could play in promoting community cohesion by examining the experience of five case study pathfinder areas. The report had a particular focus on race, ethnicity, and cultural issues as they related to community cohesion.
Source: SQW Consulting, Community Cohesion and Neighbourhood Management: A theme report from the neighbourhood management pathfinders national evaluation, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Oct
A new book provided a comprehensive overview of the economic development issues that were central to the renewal of deprived neighbourhoods. It considered the range of employment- and enterprise-related policy initiatives and governance arrangements that had attempted to address the problems involved.
Source: Stephen Syrett and David North, Renewing Neighbourhoods: Work, enterprise and governance, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2008-Oct
A report drew together findings from an extensive evaluation of neighbourhood management pathfinders conducted between 2002 and 2008, including household survey analyses, interviews, and case studies. It provided a final statement of how neighbourhood management had been delivered by the pathfinders and of what had been achieved.
Source: SQW Consulting, Neighbourhood Management Pathfinders: Final Evaluation Report – People, Places, Public Services: Making the Connections, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Oct
A taskforce report highlighted ways in which government and its agencies could remove burdens and bureaucracy placed on local government in order to make the aspirations of the Sub-National Review of Economic Development and Regeneration a reality, and how to implement this policy without adding new burdens. It identified 'capacity challenges' at all levels to delivering regeneration.
Source: Lifting the Burdens from Economic Development and Regeneration, Lifting the Burdens Task Force, c/o Local Government Association (020 7664 3131)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Oct
A report (by an official advisory body) said that most new Sure Start children's centres were performing well, and were supporting the government's aim of giving pre-school children the best start in life. However, the two-year turnaround time allowed to build centres was proving very challenging for local authorities and the heads of the new centres. This was having an impact on design: although the centres were rated highly by families, very few were rated as good by design professionals.
Source: Sure Start Children's Centres: A Post-occupancy Evaluation, Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (020 7960 2400)
Date: 2008-Oct
A report provided an overview of how neighbourhood management activity had been extended beyond official pathfinder areas into other neighbourhoods. It included a summary of the national evidence base about the nature of neighbourhood management, and the findings of a new national survey of local authorities about the extent of neighbourhood management and the different models emerging. It drew on summaries of ten new case studies of neighbourhood management initiatives, illustrating the range of practices.
Source: SQW Consulting, Neighbourhood Management Beyond the Pathfinders: A national overview, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Oct
An article examined the utility of a method to construct virtual area models that could be used as 'controls' in the quasi-experimental evaluation of an urban regeneration initiative; and the availability of appropriate health outcome data to populate such models.
Source: Sarafina Cotterill, Jayne Parry, Matthew Richardson and Jonathan Mathers, 'Quasi-experimental evaluation of the health impacts of the New Deal for Communities urban regeneration scheme', Critical Public Health, Volume 18 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Sep
A paper said that community-led enterprise organizations could drive positive change in their neighbourhoods, creating a self-help and problem-solving culture, and help individuals move out of poverty. Although many community groups were struggling, a new generation of more confident and aspirational community organizations was emerging. These were characterized by the use of social enterprise methods, community asset ownership, and a 'can do' attitude that sought to unlock potential in people and places – in short, 'community enterprise'.
Source: Glen Arradon and Steve Wyler, What Role for Community Enterprises in Tackling Poverty?, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241)
Date: 2008-Sep
A paper examined the strategic and policy context for housing development and neighbourhood renewal. Integrating different housing tenures was an important prerequisite for developing 'housing of choice': but there were many other aspects of sustainable communities which needed to be given equal weight.
Source: Nick Bailey and Tony Manzi, Developing and Sustaining Mixed Tenure Housing Developments, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241)
Date: 2008-Sep
An article reported a case study of a programme within the national Sure Start initiative in England, 1999-2005. Programme 'reach' was conceptualized as having two aspects: contact and use. It was found that, conceptualized as contact, programme reach was virtually 100 per cent. Conceptualized as use, it varied according to services within the programme and to some extent according to family characteristics. The relatively more disadvantaged families were reached almost as much as other families.
Source: Peter Hannon, Caroline Pickstone, Rupert Suckling and Deborah Crofts, 'The reach of early intervention: a case study of a Sure Start programme', Evidence & Policy, Volume 4 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Sep
A study examined the relationship between four New Deal for Community partnerships and their local strategic partnership, and what impact if any this had on the local area agreement. It assessed the extent to which each influenced the other, identifying what helped and what hindered the development of the relationship, concluding with a summary of the implications for both policy-makers and practitioners.
Source: Hilary Russell, Working with Local Strategic Partnerships and Local Area Agreements: Some lessons from the New Deal for Communities Programme, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Sep
A study examined some of the main issues, learning points, and practical dilemmas arising from involvement by New Deal for Communities programmes in 'masterplanning' – the development of fundamental and strategic plans to transform neighbourhood infrastructure, such as housing, local retail outlets, transport connexions, and open spaces.
Source: Rose Ardron, Elaine Batty and Ian Cole, Devising and Delivering Masterplanning at Neighbourhood Level: Some lessons from the New Deal for Communities Programme, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Sep
A study examined the experiences of New Deal for Community partnerships in developing and implementing their approaches and strategies for community engagement.
Source: Hilary Russell, Community Engagement: Some lessons from the New Deal for Communities Programme, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Sep
Researchers examined good practice approaches to connecting regeneration investment to the needs of disadvantaged areas and groups.
Source: Andrea Glass, Alexander McTier and Alan McGregor with Andy Hirst and Joke Delvaux, Linking Opportunity and Need: Maximising the regeneration benefits from physical investment, Scottish Government (web publication only)
Date: 2008-Sep
The government began consultation on proposals to give Sure Start children's centres a statutory identity.
Source: Legislating for Sure Start Children's Centres, Department for Children, Schools and Families (0845 602 2260)
Links: Consultation document | DCSF press release | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Sep
A report examined how far museums went beyond the display and interpretation of collections; their potential role in local regeneration; and whether they could create a space where social issues could be examined in a way the public found accessible.
Source: Simon Tait, Can Museums Be a Potent Force in Social and Urban Regeneration?, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241)
Date: 2008-Sep
A study examined how New Deal for Communities partnerships had communicated their messages to a range of different stakeholders and audiences.
Source: SQW Consulting, Communications: Some lessons from the New Deal for Communities Programme, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Sep
A report described the community infrastructure levy – a proposed new charge which local authorities in England and Wales would be empowered, but not required, to charge on most types of new development in their area. Charges would be based on simple formulae which related the size of the charge to the size and character of the development concerned. The proceeds of the levy would be spent on local and sub-regional infrastructure to support the development of the area.
Source: The Community Infrastructure Levy, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report | BPF press release
Date: 2008-Aug
A report examined good practice approaches to connecting regeneration investment to the needs of disadvantaged areas and groups. In recent years local economies had enjoyed greater economic buoyancy than for a considerable period of time: but the gap between the poorest communities and the average had remained stubbornly resistant to change.
Source: Andrea Glass, Alexander McTier, Alan McGregor, Andy Hirst and Joke Delvaux, Linking Opportunity and Need: Maximising the regeneration benefits from physical investment, Scottish Government (web publication only)
Date: 2008-Aug
A report by a committee of MPs said that it was too early to judge the overall success of the Housing Market Renewal Programme (designed to tackle the problems of neighbourhoods with acute low housing demand in the north of England and Midlands). But sustained regeneration would require improvements which went beyond the regeneration of the physical infrastructure – such as local economic performance, employment opportunities, community safety, and access to high-quality public amenities and transport.
Source: Housing Market Renewal: Pathfinders, Thirty-fifth Report (Session 2007-08), HC 106, House of Commons Public Accounts Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Jul
A report (by three official advisory bodies) proposed a shift in the government's programme for housing market renewal away from housing and towards a broad-based, design-led regeneration programme, with 'placemaking' at its centre.
Source: Housing Market Renewal: Action plan for delivering successful places, Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (020 7960 2400), English Heritage, and Sustainable Development Commission
Links: Report | CABE press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2008-Jul
A report compared the experiences of residents living in and around new developments in the Thames Gateway area with the plans of town developers. Residents were happy to escape overcrowded accommodation, but many were disappointed by the lack of support and services available.
Source: Penny Bernstock with Leila Baker, Neighbourhood Watch: Building new communities – Learning lessons from the Thames Gateway, Shelter (020 7505 4699)
Links: Report | Inside Housing report
Date: 2008-Jul
The government began consultation on a framework for future regeneration programmes in England. Funding would be more tightly targeted at tackling economic challenges, and on outcomes rather than processes. This would favour schemes that helped to boost enterprise, gave people the skills to work, promoted better health, and attracted business investment .
Source: Transforming Places; Changing Lives – A framework for regeneration, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236)
Links: Consultation document | Hansard | DCLG press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2008-Jul
An article examined New Labour's approach to the governance of urban regeneration, characterized by a more determined effort to empower local community groups within the policy process.
Source: Ian Bache and Philip Catney, 'Embryonic associationalism: New Labour and urban governance', Public Administration, Volume 86 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Jun
An article highlighted conflicts and dilemmas within the evaluation of the Sure Start programme. It illustrated the difficulties placed on local evaluators by the lack of clear structures within which to work.
Source: Jill Clark and Elaine Hall, 'Will the lessons be learned? Reflections on local authority evaluations and the use of research evidence', Evidence & Policy, Volume 4 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Jun
A new book described insights gained from the national evaluation of Sure Start. Separate chapters covered: ethnicity; childcare; parents; special needs; maternity services; domestic violence; and buildings and spaces.
Source: Angela Anning and Mog Ball (eds.), Improving Services for Young Children: From Sure Start to Children's Centres, SAGE Publications Ltd (020 7324 8500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2008-May
A study examined different models of citizen-centred governance and the principles on which this was based. Towns and cities were governed by a patchwork of special-purpose governance structures operating alongside local authorities, National Health Service bodies, and other government agencies. The picture was 'complex and changing'. Citizens and service users in disadvantaged neighbourhoods were doubly disadvantaged: not only did they have to overcome the economic, social, and political barriers of disadvantaged neighbourhoods, but their opportunities for involvement in shaping public services were also constantly being changed.
Source: Marian Barnes et al., Designing Citizen-centred Governance, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report | JRF Findings
Date: 2008-May
A literature review examined what was known about the effectiveness of intergenerational practice, in particular in education, community development/neighbourhood renewal, and health settings. There was evidence that successful intergenerational projects had the potential to deliver positive outcomes for participants and for communities.
Source: Iain Springate. Mary Atkinson and Kerry Martin, Intergenerational Practice: A review of the literature, National Foundation for Educational Research (01753 747281)
Date: 2008-May
An article examined health improvement and differential changes in health across various socio-demographic groups in New Deal for Communities areas. Evidence from a two-year follow-up did not support an 'NDC effect', either overall or for particular population groups. Residents with lower education experienced the least favourable health profiles at baseline and the smallest improvements.
Source: Mai Stafford, James Nazroo, Jennie Popay and Margaret Whitehead, 'Tackling inequalities in health: evaluating the New Deal for Communities initiative', Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Volume 62 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Apr
A report presented the findings on interventions and outcomes through the New Deal for Communities programme under the theme of crime and community safety. There had been an overall reduction in both crime and fear of crime in NDC areas. There was little evidence that crime had been displaced from NDC areas to surrounding communities: however, where positive change had occurred in outcomes in NDC areas there was also evidence that these benefits had extended to areas surrounding NDC neighbourhoods.
Source: Sarah Pearson et al., Delivering Safer Neighbourhoods: Experiences from the New Deal for Communities programme, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Apr
A new book examined the rationale for housing market renewal; whose interests were served by it; and who lost out. Housing market renewal played to the interests of the middle classes in viewing the market for houses as a field of social and economic 'opportunities', in contrast to a working class who were more concerned with the practicalities of 'dwelling'.
Source: Chris Allen, Housing Market Renewal and Social Class, Taylor and Francis (020 7583 9855)
Links: Summary
Date: 2008-Apr
A report presented the findings of the second phase of the evaluation of the New Deal for Communities (NDC) programme. It gave an overview, based on case studies in six NDCs, of strategies, interventions, and outcomes.
Source: Paul Lawless et al., Challenges, Interventions and Change: An overview of neighbourhood renewal in six New Deal for Communities areas, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Apr
A report (by an official advisory body) examined how involving artists could improve the quality of regeneration projects.
Source: Artists and Places: Engaging creative minds in regeneration, Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (020 7960 2400)
Links: Report | CABE press release
Date: 2008-Apr
A study examined residents' views about living in new affordable higher-density housing. The government objective of delivering more affordable homes in mixed communities would only succeed if close attention were paid to their management, how 'affordable' they were for 'low cost home ownership' residents, and the placement of the affordable properties within the scheme. Developments also had to fit correctly within the surrounding neighbourhood and community.
Source: Joanne Bretherton and Nicholas Pleace, Residents' Views of New Forms of High Density Affordable Living, Chartered Institute of Housing (024 7685 1700) for Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Date: 2008-Apr
Researchers analyzed crime data in order to find out what effect crime patterns within New Deal for Communities (NDC) areas had had on crime in surrounding areas. There were many more instances of possible diffusion of benefit than of possible displacement of crime.
Source: David McLennan and Adam Whitworth, Displacement of Crime or Diffusion of Benefit: Evidence from the New Deal for Communities programme, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Apr
A think-tank report evaluated the impact of the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative. Investment had not been targeted at the places where it would have the most impact because it had not been supported by robust measurement. A new, more sophisticated approach to measuring change was needed so that a clearer understanding of the impact of regeneration programmes could be used to inform the development of future policy.
Source: Eilis Lawlor and Jeremy Nicholls, Hitting the Target, Missing the Point: How government regeneration targets fail deprived areas, New Economics Foundation (020 7820 6300)
Date: 2008-Mar
A study reviewed evaluations of person-based policies (targeted directly at individuals) and place-based policies (designed to tackle neighbourhood deprivation), to find out what kind of interventions were most effective at tackling disadvantage, focusing on policies to improve employment and educational outcomes and to increase incomes. Most policy interventions, whether person or place-targeted, had small, favourable impacts. Both forms of intervention had significant positive impacts on particular aspects of education results and employment. However, it was not possible to determine whether person- or place-based policies were better, as they tended to have different objectives that prevented direct comparison.
Source: Julia Griggs, Adam Whitworth, Robert Walker, David McLennan and Michael Noble, Person- or Place-based Policies to Tackle Disadvantage? Not knowing what works, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report | JRF Findings
Date: 2008-Mar
An article examined the origins and development of the 'mixed communities' policy – regenerating disadvantaged neighbourhoods by reconstructing them as mixed communities, in which schools appealing to higher-income residents were a key feature. There was a distinction between the principle of 'mix' and the policy of 'mixed' communities – under the latter, genuine mixing of communities failed to take place, further disadvantaging existing populations.
Source: Ruth Lupton and Rebecca Tunstall, 'Neighbourhood regeneration through mixed communities: a "social justice dilemma"?', Journal of Education Policy, Volume 23 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Mar
A report said that children in Sure Start areas showed more positive social behaviour and greater independence than counterparts in similarly deprived areas. Parents were more likely to provide a better learning environment for their children and exhibit less negative parenting, and made greater use of support services. The benefits of living in an area with a children's centre were not confined to particular groups, and applied to the most disadvantaged, such as teenage and lone parents and workless households.
Source: National Evaluation of Sure Start, The Impact of Sure Start Local Programmes on Three Year Olds and Their Families, Research Report NESS/2008/FR/027, Department for Children, Schools and Families (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report | Brief | DCSF press release | Sure Start press release | Community Care report | Children & Young People Now report | BBC report | FT report | Guardian report
Date: 2008-Mar
A study found that the Welsh Assembly Government's programme to improve living conditions for people in the most disadvantaged communities – 'Communities First' – had been successful in getting community members involved in the planning and delivery of local solutions to local problems: but it had not led to communities influencing service providers or achieving significant change.
Source: Dave Adamson and Richard Bromiley, Community Empowerment in Practice: Lessons from Communities First, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report | JRF Findings | JRF press release
Date: 2008-Mar
A report (based on a study of neighbourhoods in a Scottish town) said that the identity of a neighbourhood was established at a very early stage in its life and was underpinned by social class and status – making it extremely resistant to change through regeneration projects.
Source: Douglas Robertson, James Smyth and Ian McIntosh, Neighbourhood Identity: Effects of time, location and social class, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report | JRF Findings | JRF press release
Date: 2008-Mar
Researchers evaluated a programme designed to promote better use of data, research, and evidence in neighbourhood renewal. Despite major improvements nationally in the availability of neighbourhood level data, practitioners could still find difficulty locating appropriate data for activities such as target setting or tracking neighbourhood change.
Source: Derrick Johnstone et al., Supporting Evidence for Local Delivery, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Date: 2008-Mar
A new book brought together the lessons learned from the Sure Start programme. Separate chapters covered: child development and healthcare; partnership working with existing local services; parental employment and supporting families with young children; reaching out to marginalized groups; and strengthening communities.
Source: Justine Schneider, Mark Avis and Paul Leighton (eds.), Supporting Children and Families: Lessons from Sure Start for evidence-based practice in health, social care and education, Jessica Kingsley Publishers (020 7833 2307)
Links: Summary
Date: 2008-Feb
An article examined the street wardens programme (established in 2001 to help improve the 'liveability' of deprived neighbourhoods by deterring anti-social behaviour and crime, and fostering social inclusion). 'Deprivation' was not explicitly defined in the policy, resulting in schemes located in areas with wildly divergent environmental and demographic characteristics. Programme implementation was diverse. Against a performance management context, outcomes were paradoxically never clearly defined and many were difficult to measure. This posed significant challenges as to how local areas were to implement national policies and demonstrate success.
Source: Chih Hoong Sin, 'The street wardens programme as a neighbourhood renewal intervention: the challenge of translating national policy into creative local responses in a performance management context', Benefits, Volume 16 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Feb
A new book examined the potential role of social enterprise in community regeneration.
Source: Andrew Mawson, The Social Entrepreneur: Making Communities Work, Atlantic Books (01903 828800)
Links: Summary | Guardian report
Date: 2008-Jan
The government published the results of consultation on the functions of the new Homes and Communities Agency. It confirmed that the HCA would take responsibility for regeneration programmes from English Partnerships, and for the provision of new affordable housing funded by social housing grant from the Housing Corporation. It would have operational responsibility for the delivery of major housing and regeneration projects.
Source: Delivering Housing and Regeneration: Communities England and the future of social housing regulation: Consultation – Summary of Responses, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236)
Links: Consultation responses | Consultation document | Hansard | DCLG press release
Date: 2008-Jan
A report evaluated a pilot programme that explored the potential to develop 'active networks' in local communities. Each programme aimed to bring together key workers, activists, and community leaders who were working to make a difference in their community, in order to create more effective neighbourhood and community networks.
Source: Icarus Collective, An Evaluation of Local Links: Reviewing a pilot programme to develop active networks in local communities, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Date: 2008-Jan
The inspectorate for education and children's services said that extended schools and Sure Start children's centres made a 'positive contribution' to improving the lives of children and their families, as well as achieving overall success. But some did not do enough to help harder-to-reach groups – including fathers and some minority ethnic groups.
Source: How Well Are They Doing? The impact of children's centres and extended schools, HMI, Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (07002 637833)
Links: Report | OFSTED press release | TDA press release | BBC report | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Jan
The Welsh Assembly Government began consultation on new goals for its 'Communities First' 10-year programme for economic regeneration. There would be a new emphasis on programme partnerships demonstrating practical action to tackle economic and social regeneration. Partnerships would need to show evidence that they were delivering by improving income generation, delivering skills and employment opportunities, tackling child poverty, or improving health and well-being. The programme would be renamed 'Communities Next'.
Source: Communities Next: Consultation on the future of the Communities First Programme, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Consultation document
Date: 2008-Jan
A report provided an overview of new 2006-07 evaluation evidence on how New Deal for Communities areas were changing. NDC areas had made encouraging improvements on 'place-based' outcomes, such as satisfaction with the area, crime and fear of crime, but more slowly on 'people-based' outcomes, such as worklessness, education, and health. The evidence demonstrated that interventions focused on tackling one aspect of an area's problems reaped benefits across a range of others.
Source: Christina Beatty, Mike Foden, Paul Lawless and Ian Wilson, New Deal for Communities: A Synthesis of New Programme Wide Evidence – 2006-07, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Jan