[cma-l] Blears Outlines New Economic People-Focused Approach to Regeneration

[CMA-L]

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT News Release (180) issued by The
Government News Network on 17 July 2008

Ministers plan to focus on 'real-life' measures about improving
people's lives rather than bricks and mortar targets for regeneration
funding. This is so communities get more than a cosmetic facelift and
are helped to unlock their potential and take responsibility for their
own regeneration.

In future, funding will be more tightly targeted at tackling economic
challenges and on outcomes not processes. This would favour schemes
that help boost enterprise, give people the skills to work, promote
better health, and attract business investment - so communities take
responsibility for the long term. Knock on benefits might include
tackling anti-social behaviour and creating more harmonious
communities.

Building on last week's White Paper, the proposals would also shift
more power to local people. New 'priority maps' would map out
regeneration priorities to steer funding and inform residents where
money is spent, and decisions on how to regenerate would be devolved
to regions, towns and villages. Maps will help focus and bring
together investment from Whitehall, regions and the private sector on
strengthening the local economy and improving prospects for residents,
so for example, investment in housing and environmental improvements
will be linked to residents' economic chances.

Speaking at a conference in London, Communities Secretary, Hazel Blears said:

"We want long-lasting regeneration that will help people and
neighbourhoods to take responsibility and enable everyone to rise as
far as their talents can take them.

''It's not just about giving buildings a facelift. Regeneration is
about empowering people and improving economic prospects is the key.
If you deal with pockets of unemployment, improvements in crime rates
and people's health will follow. And getting a job and more skills can
give people real power and control of their lives as well as bring new
money and talent into the community."

The consultation 'Transforming places, changing lives' proposes:

* A renewed focus on helping people to reach their potential, bringing
together economic, social and physical regeneration under a shared
vision to meet the needs of communities

* A focus on outcomes rather than outputs - to ensure that
regeneration activities are measured by the outcomes they achieve,
rather than the processes they follow

* A stronger focus on promoting work through regeneration - focusing
on tackling the underlying economic causes of decline, ensuring that
places can reach their potential by moving communities and individuals
from dependence to independence

* Efforts to increase and stimulate investment from the private
sector, by defining clear regeneration priorities and geographies,
raising confidence, and making places more attractive to make long
term investment commitments. Understanding the impact of current
economic conditions will be crucial in shaping regeneration policy. A
study on "The Impact of the Credit Crunch on Regeneration" will run in
parallel to the consultation on this framework.

* To continue to bring housing and tackling worklessness closer
together so that housing associations and local authorities can help
more to tackle worklessness in social housing. A Housing Reform Green
Paper later this year will set out proposals to help and encourage
people living in social housing towards greater economic independence
and social mobility, matching responsibility with opportunity to help
meet their potential and make better use of resources.

* New and improved partnership working between local authorities,
Regional Development Agencies, and the new Homes and Communities
Agency so that homes are connected to jobs.

Notes to Editors
1. An electronic version (or PDF) of this document and a consultation
response form are available to download from the communities and local
government website at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/citiesandregions/transformingpl
aces. Please send comments using this form to the Regeneration
Framework team at: RegenFramework at communities.gsi.gov.uk.

2. Between 2007 and 2011, the government will invest over £13bn in
programmes that contribute heavily to regeneration, and the
consultation outcome will influence where and how targeted
regeneration funding is spent in future.

3. Every area is different and will require a response that fits local
circumstances which is why proposals include that decisions on how and
where to invest are made locally and regionally. The framework
proposes four criteria to assist local and regional partners in
determining how and where to regenerate: 1) the scale of deprivation
2) the strength of the wider sub regional economy 2) the economic and
social characteristics of the area 4) and the dynamics of the area
(whether it is getting better or worse).

4. The regeneration framework offers more local and regional
flexibility to create programmes that fit places rather than expect
places to fit programmes - by focusing on outcomes instead of outputs,
with three priority aims - 1) improving economic performance in
deprived areas, 2) improving rates of work and enterprise in deprived
areas and 3) creating sustainable places where people want to live and
can work, and businesses want to invest.

5. The review of sub-national economic development and regeneration
(SNR) recognised the potential role for targeted regeneration in
improving outcomes in deprived areas. Better coordination will be key
to delivering real and lasting improvements in outcomes for deprived
areas. By bringing together neighbourhood renewal spending and
investment in physical regeneration through a shared understanding of
regeneration priorities, this framework should lay the foundations for
improved partnership working between local authorities, Regional
Development Agencies, and the new Homes and Communities Agency.

6. By guiding outcomes and geographies for regeneration, the framework
will ensure investment is coordinated and prioritised, with public,
private and voluntary sector organisations working together in the
same places and towards a shared vision.

7. Building on the SNR, the framework aims to devolve power so
investment decisions are made as locally as possible, and to focus
existing regeneration activity on tackling the remaining economic
challenges that hold back deprived areas, in particular supporting
people to get a job and get on in the labour market. The framework
aims to ensure regeneration is more focused on making sure no area is
left behind - to improve places, attract private investment and
business prosperity, foster ambition and unlock potential.

8. Communities and Local Government has recently consulted on a new
economic assessment duty for local authorities. This will require
upper tier and unitary authorities to carry out an assessment of the
strengths and weaknesses of their local economy. This would form the
basis of the new approach to reviving the economic prospects of
deprived areas at a local level.

9. The tackling worklessness review, led by Cllr Stephen Houghton will
run alongside this consultation, to explore how local authorities and
their partners are using the Working Neighbourhoods Fund, a key
element of this approach to tackle worklessness within their worst
performing neighbourhoods.

http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/lfi/163585