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newstart 14 March 2008 | Volume 10 No 425 | www.newstartmag.co.uk Informing and inspiring people who make a difference where it matters Are you on the right road? How to avoid the wrong turnings on the route to sustainability Contents New Start – the independent voice of regeneration Analysis: Are wouldbe beacons hiding their light under a bushel?... page 11 12 We say: Comment ‘There’s no evidence that the poor are held back because the rich can’t fulfil their ambitions. That’s classic trickle-down economics: if you have more money than you know what to do with, it creates jobs for butlers and valets.’ 13 You say: Debate Neil de Reybekill assesses our battle with the bottle and where policymakers are going wrong. 13 Column: Tony Hawkhead ‘One in six households now lives in fuel poverty according to an Observer survey. Gordon Brown is reported to have met with energy suppliers recently – can we expect a windfall tax in the budget?’ Learning: How Welsh communities are being digitally enhanced... page 20 15 Column: Keren Suchecki ‘I’ve been pondering my leaving do. Get in early before you leave when everyone’s still up for it, or go for it later when everyone’s liver feels like it’s being mentored by Amy Winehouse?’ 15 Worklife: Significant others and career ladder. 16 Cover feature: Susan Downer and Barry McCarthy profile three approaches to becoming self-financing. Inspiration: The exNRU man putting pedestrian interests first... page 22 19 Feature: Local economic policy simply doesn’t fit with the dangers posed by climate change. Peter North considers the options. 24 Diary: Forthcoming events and conferences. Job of the week: Capacity building officer, All Saints and Blakenhall Community Development, £28,172-£30,598 2 14 march 2008 new start Only cities free from remote control can deliver effective regeneration, says think tank by Rosie Niven [email protected] Cities with freedom to innovate are more successful when it comes to delivering change, a study of international urban policy revealed this week. The report by right wing think tank Policy Exchange and research organisation Localis, which examined six city regions across the globe, said that when areas were at the mercy of bureaucrats hundreds or even thousands of miles away regeneration was stifled. For example, when local renewal decisions were taken at national level in West Germany the 1960s failures were more likely because the resulting projects were inappropriate for that particular area. In contrast, Vancouver is able to break with national policy while Amsterdam can design its own development and fund it locally. Dr Oliver Marc Hartwich, chief economist at Policy Exchange, said: ‘Collectively, the message from these cities is clear: the most successful have the powers to initiate change, the freedoms to think and be innovative, and the mechanisms to hold local change to account. But the most successful also benefit strongly from their location, size and accessibility – doing urban policy in Hong Kong and Vancouver is easier than doing it in Warsaw or Lodz in part because they are globally well-positioned and sufficiently large.’ He added: ‘Giving cities powers cannot buck geography, but it does allow them to respond proactively to the conditions that they face, freeing them to maximise their potential.’ The report is the second of three documents exploring urban policy in places that have had to tackle similar issues to UK cities. The findings from Vancouver, the Ruhr, Amsterdam, Warsaw, Lodz, and Hong Kong follow last year’s Cities limited report which documented the growing divergence between those UK cities that have been performing well and those that have not. It suggested cities that had received significant central government regeneration funding over the past decade had failed to catch up with either average national performance or a sample of well-performing cities on measures of economic and social wellbeing. Success and the city: learning from international urban policy, www.policyexchange.org.uk Rogers warns Thames Gateway is failing on design and delivery A single delivery body is needed to ensure high quality development in the Thames Gateway, one of the UK’s leading urban policy experts said last week. Lord Rogers, the architect behind Lloyds of London and chair of the urban task force, told New Start there was still no clear framework for delivery of development in the Thames Gateway. Speaking ahead of his appearance at an event next week on public spaces, he noted government efforts to reduce the number of bodies involved but argued the framework for delivery was still inadequate. Ministers believe better coordination and streamlining of existing bodies will be more effective than a single delivery body. ‘If there is no framework, not only will decisions not be made clearly, but participation is impossible because you don’t know what to participate in,’ he said. There has to be a structure. In a way, I believe there needs to be single delivery body.’ He also expressed concerns about Lord Rogers: more progress on delivery the lack of emphasis on quality design, despite the wealth of talent in urban design and architecture that exists in Britain. But he praised London mayor Ken Livingstone, whom he advises on design issues, for making quality buildings and places a priority. ‘Delivery is a serious problem, quality is a serious problem,’ he added. ‘We haven’t got design at the top of the agenda in the public institutions like government. Yes, Ken has it at the top of his agenda. But overall, there’s a long way to go.’ Lord Rogers will be speaking on 17 March at a Design for London event as part of its Open City exhibition. www.newstartmag.co.uk news Newsdesk: 0114 281 6133 Tax officers placed in children’s centres to encourage more women into work by Susan Downer [email protected] Tax officers will be placed in children’s centres in parts of England to ensure people take up their entitlement to tax credits, chancellor Alistair Darling has announced. The pilots will specifically focus on helping people claim the childcare element of the working tax credit (WTC) and ensuring they report any change in their circumstances. Experience from this and other new approaches will feed into a revised strategy to support the government’s drive towards halving child poverty by 2010 and eradicating it by 2020. Ministers are also keen to increase the effectiveness of the WTC after an independent report, published this week, found it had no effect on the likelihood of women to return to work and a marginal effect on men. The report concluded that the benefits of the WTC would increase in line with take-up. A separate child poverty report outlined plans to increase work focused services in 30 children’s centres across ten local authority areas and confirmed government intentions to introduce a ‘better off in work’ payment ensuring those who take up full-time work are at least £25 a week better off than they otherwise would have been. Child tax credit and child benefit will also be increased and a health in pregnancy grant worth £190 will be UK’s entrepreneurial talent to be nurtured with £100m investment Ministers have outlined measures worth over £100m to boost enterprise in the UK. These include £50m for a third round of enterprise capital funds to boost innovation, jobs and growth in small and medium sized businesses, and £30m to expand enterprise education in primary schools and further education institutions. They have also pledged to open national enterprise academies in southeast and north-west England for people aged 16-19. These will be followed by a national roll out of ‘satellite academies’. Other plans include: ■£10m for a new risk capital fund to support social enterprises during the early stages of their development ■£12.5m for a capital fund to support women’s businesses ■£1m for youth development charity the Prince’s Trust to identify role models and raise awareness of enterprise among disadvantaged young people ■More support for community development finance institutions to help businesses in deprived areas access finance ■Work with English Premier League clubs to promote enterprise though the organisations’ community programmes Business secretary John Hutton added: ‘Britain is one of the best places in the world to start a business, but we need to do more if we’re to catch up to levels of entrepreneurship in the US.’ Enterprise: unlocking the UK’s talent, www.hm-treasury.gov.uk payable from April 2009. Research will also be commissioned to find out why so many couples in poverty have just one part-time earner. In his speech in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Mr Darling said the government would invest a further £765m next year and an additional £950m the following year to take more than 250,000 children out of poverty. He said he wanted parents to make a commitment to improve their situations and take advantage of the opportunities on offer in return for government help. Clare Tickell, chief executive of NCH, a member of the End Child Poverty Campaign, urged the govern- ment to put more money into preventative services, saying: ‘Working intensively with families to tackle antisocial behaviour and preventing family breakdown is an investment that will pay off and lift struggling families out of poverty once and for all.’ Chief executive of Child Poverty Action Group, Kate Green, welcomed the chancellor’s emphasis on child poverty. She said: ‘It is not acceptable, affordable or in Britain’s interests to continue failing millions of children. It is right that children were the winners today.’ Ending child poverty, everybody’s business and Working tax credit and labour supply are available at, www.hm-treasury.gov.uk Darling’s details: the Budget round-up ■The Saving Gateway, promoting ■A £200m package over three years saving and financial inclusion among people on low incomes, is to be introduced nationally from 2010. Ministers hope it will provide a savings incentive to eight million people on lower incomes. ■Funding of £60m to develop adult skills. The cash will be used to retrain people, including apprenticeships, and to test new ways of delivering learning. ■Raising the winter fuel payment from £200 to £250 for the over 60s and from £300 to £400 for the over 80s – nine million pensioner households will be better off. In addition, a one-off grant of £100 will be given to households with people aged over 80 and £50 will be given to households with residents over 60. to support low achieving schools with the aim that by 2011 no schools should have less than 30% of pupils attaining five A* to C grades at GCSE. ■Legislation through the 2009 finance bill to extend land remediation relief to sites derelict since 1998 in order to assist the development of brownfield land and support urban regeneration. ■From this April, key workers such as teachers and nurses, with a 50% share in new shared equity schemes will be able to borrow against their investment. To date borrowing has been available only to those with a 75% share of their homes. ■Stamp duty on shared ownership homes will not be required until people own 80% of their property. A former copper works in the Black Country has been acquired by Advantage West Midlands to be transformed into a multi-million pound business park. The site forms part of what is designated the Darlaston strategic development area, with the potential to create up to 4,500 jobs over the next decade. The site, either side of the M6 at the former IMI James Bridge copper works in Darlaston Road, Walsall, has a legacy of extensive mine workings and copper refining. The regional development agency will coordinate a two-year programme of site remediation later this year to create 875,000ft2 of commercial space and improved transport links. Pictured are Stuart Kirkwood, director of operations at Advantage West Midlands, and Dr Peter Cromar, chief executive of the Walsall Regeneration Company. www.newstartmag.co.uk new start 14 march 2008 3 news in brief Newsdesk: 0114 281 6133 Property lobby claims housing survey loaded with ‘leading questions’ Doing up Dalston A £160m scheme to regenerate Dalston town centre will be developed in partnership with Barratt Homes, following its appointment this week by Hackney Council. Under the scheme, 500 homes, a library, shops and restaurants will be developed, along with a London Underground station. A public square, at the centre of the development, will be adopted as one of the London Mayor’s 100 public spaces. Bubb’s capital adventure Stephen Bubb has been named chair of Adventure Capital Fund Management, the company set up to oversee the voluntary sector infrastructure fund Futurebuilders England. As a result he will work four days a week as Acevo chief executive and his current director of strategy and enterprise, Peter Kyle, will become deputy chief executive. Calling all crime busters The government is calling on members of the public to share their ideas on tackling crime in their communities. The call for evidence forms part of the crime and communities review, a crossgovernment exercise looking at how the police and other front line organisations can improve their services. Details: www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/crime Jobs in Welsh housing A £1.4bn investment to upgrade social housing in south Wales over the next five years could help to create thousands of new jobs, according a report published this week. The report, by Savills property group, says attempts by local authorities and housing associations to meet and maintain the Welsh Housing Quality Standard by 2012 could create 2,700 job opportunities as well as supply chain business for local companies. by Chloe Stothart [email protected] A property lobby group has hit out at a survey by an environmental charity which found little public support for the government’s house building plans. The British Property Federation, whose members include large commercial and residential landlords, said the survey by the Campaign to Protect Rural England contained ‘leading questions’ and did not add to a balanced debate about housing policy. The survey of 924 people found 31% strongly opposed plans to build three million homes by 2020 while 26% supported the idea. Of those surveyed, 46% thought building the extra properties close to their homes would change their communities for the worse while 36% thought it would make no difference. Kate Gordon, CPRE’s senior planner, said: ‘This survey shows that the public would show more sympathy towards the government’s proposals if house building was accompanied by strong measures to tackle urban dereliction, and bring back into use empty properties. Welcome progress has been made, with around three quarters of new homes now built on brownfield land, but more is needed.’ But BPF director of residential policy, Ian Fletcher, said the questions were ‘leading’ and unrepresentative of public opinion because people were Survey findings Q: Which two or three policies should the government prioritise? ■Bringing empty homes back into use – 77% ■Building more homes on derelict land – 48% ■Reducing immigration – 47% ■Encouraging businesses to locate in areas where there is already enough housing – 32% ■Ending tax breaks for second homes – 23% Q: Which groups would benefit most from the government’s plans for three million more homes? ■Landowners and property developers – 50% ■Low income households – 17% ■The country as a whole – 13% ■Local communities – 5% ■The countryside – 1% called at home during the day. He said building more homes would not solve the housing crisis because people could not afford to buy them, but bringing empty homes back into use was not the simple solution some believed. He added: ‘The fact we have 700,000 empty homes is not disputed, but are these 700,000 homes in places where people want to live or places that our economy requires them to be? No.’ Ken decrees space to play New housing developments in London will have to include play spaces for children under plans in the mayor’s London Plan. Under the scheme each housing scheme would have to include at least 10m2 of space for every child living there. UK gets £120m flood aid The European Union has confirmed that the UK is to receive £120m to help repair damage caused by last summer’s floods. The money, from the EU Solidarity Fund, will be distributed via local authorities to support affected homes and businesses. 4 14 march 2008 new start Wilson Bowden has been selected to deliver the £250m redevelopment of Rochdale town centre. Following public consultation, Rochdale Council agreed to plans which include providing space for retailers, including major department stores, restaurants, cafés, bars and apartments. The plans also include a new public space and an arts centre. The proposals, designed by architects Engle, are part of a masterplan that involves a new transport interchange and modern civic offices. A detailed plan will be drawn up for further consultation in 2009. Local income tax will help those on low pay, says SNP People on low and middle incomes in Scotland would be better off by up to £535 a year under plans to replace council tax with a ‘fairer system’ of local income tax, ministers have announced. A four-month consultation has been launched for proposals which include introducing a 3% levy on people’s salary and a fee for second homes, with flexibility for councils to decide the rate. The government said only those on top incomes would pay more. The proposals would make single parents better off by £5.40 a week, while pensioner couples would have an extra £13.80. Finance secretary John Swinney said: ‘Council tax is unfair, regressive and penalises people on low incomes. The people of Scotland will be better off paying a fairer local income tax, based solely on ability to pay. The proposal to scrap council tax represents the most progressive overhaul of Scottish taxation in years and real help for hard-pressed taxpayers.’ A fairer local tax for Scotland, www. scotland.gov.uk Trust says single fund will help disabled to work Money for services to help unemployed disabled people into work and some funding for their care should be put into a single pot, a charity has said. Shaw Trust, which helps disabled people to find work, said direct payments and independent living funds, which pay for care, should be bought together with access to work, which pays for adaptions to disabled people’s workplaces. The fund would also include money available under the job introduction scheme, a 13 week subsidy for employers of disabled people, and the work preparation and workstep schemes which respectively help people become job ready after a long period of sickness or unemployment and supports those with complex needs to stay in work. It said the funds should be merged for employed disabled people and those looking for work but should remain separate for those who were not able to work. Disability charity, Scope, welcomed the idea of a single fund but said paying providers for getting people into work would mean those who needed the most help would be overlooked in favour of the most easily employable. www.newstartmag.co.uk news Volunteers should be rewarded, says citizenship review Young people in Tonbridge, Kent, have embarked on the task of making a 3D map of their town. They are creating the model of the town and surrounding villages as part of a Planning for Real exercise commissioned by Kent Council. Students from 21 schools and colleges will model buildings and landmarks surrounding their schools, and suggest what needs to be done to improve their neighbourhood and what services would make a difference to their lives. Kent Council is using the feedback to develop a plan for children and young people. Scottish health projects forced to scale back as cash crisis bites by Barry McCarthy [email protected] More than 70% of community health initiatives in Scotland will have to close services by the end of the month because of a funding crisis, a national agency has warned. Community Health Exchange (Chex) said 182 staff in 18 organisations had already lost their jobs because of a lack of cash from local authorities and the NHS. It said 36% of the 60 third sector health projects surveyed had scaled down their work in the past 12 months due to financial trouble. ‘This survey indicates the potential that, after March, Scotland will suffer the loss of hundreds of jobs and thousands of services for some of our most vulnerable people in our most disadvantaged communities,’ a spokes- person said. ‘This is detrimental to the aspiration of a healthier Scotland.’ The news follows a warning from Chex last year that the end of various funding streams would create a ‘domino effect’ in the sector (New Start, 14 September 2007). ‘Community health initiatives work in creative and innovative ways unavailable to those within statutory agencies,’ said Elspeth Gracey, Chex practice development manager. ‘Many are the lifeblood of their community. Yet despite the rhetoric of the need for more local responses to health needs, hundreds of community health initiatives throughout Scotland have never found it harder to sustain their existence.’ The South East Area Lifestyle (Seal) initiative, which operates in the Gorbals and Govanhill areas of Glasgow, has failed to secure funding beyond June. The organisation was created 14 years ago by residents in response to poor health. But over the past two years Seal has been surviving on three month funding at a time. ‘If someone doesn’t step in soon, there will be no small community health initiatives left,’ warned Brenda Sowney, manager of Seal. Meanwhile, the Scottish Government has announced funding of £5m to maintain a health improvement programme in deprived communities for the next two years. The money will go towards ‘keep well’ projects operating in Glasgow, Lothian, Lanarkshire and Tayside. Their aim is to tackle high cholesterol, high blood pressure, poor diet, smoking, and alcohol abuse. A health check on Scotland’s community led health sector, www.chex.org.uk A government backed review of citizenship this week called for more incentives to encourage volunteering. Concluding his review, former attorney general Lord Goldsmith said young people who volunteer should receive a reduction in tuition fees, if they volunteer prior to going to university, or help to repay student loans if they volunteer afterwards. He also called for a clear policy stating that those on jobseeker’s allowance would not lose entitlement if they volunteer. The report suggested that councils offer a small council tax rebate reflecting the contribution of the volunteer to the community. It also proposed measures to promote cohesion and engage newcomers in a shared sense of belonging. These include offering ‘language loans’ to people who cannot afford to pay for English lessons and using citizenship ceremonies to engage new citizens with the local community. It also urged an expansion in the numbers of mediators who can deal quickly and effectively with local tensions in neighbourhoods. The government said the volunteering proposals were ‘interesting’ and would be closely studied. Citizenship: our common bond, www. justice.gov.uk/reviews/citizenship.htm ‘Quote, unquote’ ‘We look to ministers to stimulate debate about the absence of any link between company success and boardroom pay, not to celebrate it. The growth of a free floating group of the super-rich harms social cohesion and threatens inflation.’ TUC general secretary Brendan Barber condemns the stance taken by business and enterprise minister John Hutton in his speech on ‘progress’ this week. Mr Barber said the government couldn’t hope to end child poverty without making the super-rich pay their share of tax. See comment, p12 Area attitudes ingrained at birth can be hard to budge, JRF concludes Regeneration projects have often failed to transform neighbourhoods because ingrained identities based on social class and status make them resistant to change, according to researchers. Think tank the Joseph Rowntree Foundation claimed the character of an area, established early in its creation, was difficult to alter. Because of this, the early ambitions of planners developing new neighbourhoods are crucial for long-term prosperity, it said. www.newstartmag.co.uk The study examined three neighbourhoods in Stirling: Raploch, Riverside, and Randolph Road, which were built in the 1920s and 1930s as ‘planned communities’. Raploch was selected as the working class area, Riverside was targeted at men in skilled trades, while Randolph Road was for middle class professionals. Since then the areas have undergone little change with Raploch remaining ‘poor’, Riverside as ‘respectable’, and Randolph Road as ‘aspirational’. ‘These identities had persisted since their original construction, if not before,’ the report added. ‘Raploch’s description as “rough” and “coarse” dates back 550 years. These findings have implications for the planning of future renewal projects, as well as the creation and subsequent management of new mixed housing developments.’ Douglas Robertson, head of applied social science at Stirling University and the report’s lead author, said the way communities were planned created a ‘physical and social template’ that had a long-term effect on a neighbourhood’s character. ‘This study has shown how place identity can act against the stated ambitions of renewal projects and cause social segregation. Class is a greater divider than generally acknowledged.’ Neighbourhood identity: effects of time, location and social class, www. jrf.org.uk new start 14 march 2008 5 news in brief Newsdesk: 0114 281 6133 Campaigners call Essex post office rescue a ‘good intentioned fantasy’ by Barry McCarthy [email protected] Girls win regen challenge Young people in Walsall were asked to come up with ideas for designing out crime and antisocial behaviour at a regeneration challenge held at Walsall FC’s stadium. The winners at the Walsall Housing Group event were pupils from Palfrey Girls School, above, for their eco-friendly public areas. Support made simple A year-long project to simplify business support in Cornwall has received around £500,000 from South West England Regional Development Agency. The RDA is developing the scheme with input from Cornwall Business Partnership. It will be run by Cornwall Enterprise, the economic development service for Cornwall Council. Adults help with kids’ stuff Further details of a £44m programme to support parents across England have been unveiled by the government. The Parent Know-How initiative, outlined in the children’s plan, will see £17m invested in online, helpline and text messaging services to tackle issues such as bullying and school exclusions along with better support for lone parents. Details: www.dfes.gov.uk NW seeks rural inspiration Groups across north-west England are being asked to come up with ideas to help grow the rural economy. Northwest Development Agency is looking to create packages of support for businesses, training and skills development through the European Leader programme. Applications should be submitted by 11 April. Details: www.nwda.co.uk/rdpe Bell takes diversity chair Ranjana Bell has been appointed to chair north-east England’s first ever body to promote diversity through regeneration and employment. One Northeast has set up the Equality and Diversity Partnership to improve levels of economic and social inclusion. Ms Bell runs an equality and diversity consultancy and has more than 25 years’ experience in the field. East examines congestion The costs of congestion on road and rail networks will be examined in a new study looking at how transport can unlock economic potential in the east of England. Consultants for the East of England Development Agency will identify priorities and recommend solutions and will report in the summer. 6 14 march 2008 new start A local authority’s rescue plans for threatened post offices are more a case of ‘good intentioned fantasy’ than a sustainable solution to the closure of branches, according to a pressure group. Last month Essex Council announced proposals worth up to £1.5m over three years to keep open viable branches after 32 outlets across the county were earmarked for closure. But the Campaign for Community Banking Services (CCBS) this week said the idea of combining government and post office services had failed in the past, adding that many council employees would be reluctant to take on postal roles. CCBS said there was no certainty about what would happen to branches after the three years. It also questioned whether council premises like schools and libraries would be available to house a post office if it wasn’t feasible to keep a dedicated outlet operating. One solution is to create a post office branch and a ‘shared banking franchise’ under one roof, CCBS said. This system would be viable because residents would be able to manage their money and access postal services in one building, the organisation claimed. Essex Council leader Lord Hanningfield said: ‘This council is setting the benchmark in delivering what its residents want and I am pleased to offer what we have done here as a potential model for others. Let me also stress that this is not about replacing one public subsidy with another. Our intention is very clear; the money that we will be investing on behalf of the people of Essex will be used to help each branch move as far as possible towards becoming financially self-sufficient and cost neutral to the council.’ The Local Government Association said Essex’s initiative had generated interest from other authorities, including West Sussex Council. Ministers are planning to close 2,500 post office branches across the UK – there are currently around 14,000. The government has argued the network must be reduced because it is losing £4m a week. In the 1960s there were 25,000 post offices but they began to close in the 1970s; 6,000 have been shut in the last decade alone. Sell church land for affordable housing, urges charity A homelessness charity is encouraging churches in England to sell redundant land and property to create more affordable housing. Housing Justice said its project would help the clergy meet their social objectives and raise money to run ministries. President of Housing Justice, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor, recommended the initiative to all faith communities aiming to improve the lives of people who are homeless or living in poor conditions. ‘In both urban and rural areas there is evidence of spiralling hardship which can lead to the loss of a basic Volunteering given £6m Whitehall lift A £6m package of investment in volunteering has been unveiled by the Cabinet Office. The money will pay for training for volunteers and volunteer managers as well as a £2m volunteering fund for disabled people. The measures are in line with recommendations put forward by the Commission on the Future of Volunteering earlier this year. The government has also agreed to produce guidance to help avoid unnecessary criminal records checks, improve coordination of volunteering by civil servants and carry out further work on the viability of including volunteering in the inspection of public services. But it rejected the commission’s idea of a cabinet minister for volunteering and said there was no need to invest further in local volunteering infrastructure because it already has a programme in place. requisite of human dignity – shelter,’ he said. ‘As people of faith we are called to address injustice in all its forms. I encourage diocesan trustees and those charged with the stewardship of charitable estates to explore options in relation to their estate issues and to consider, in this context, an option for the poor.’ The charity will also provide an advice service for churches hoping to sell their assets to provide affordable housing. Examples of best practice in turning redundant property into homes will also be compiled. Over the next month, researchers from the char- ity will approach Christian denominations for contribution to this research. A Housing Justice spokesperson said: ‘Churches are uniquely placed in the community and have a long history of action in this area through organisations such as Housing Justice’s forerunners the Catholic Housing Aid Society and the Churches National Housing Coalition as well as through involvement in homelessness charities and local housing associations. We hope to build on this history to offer hope to those suffering from homelessness and poor housing today.’ Details: www.housingjustice.org.uk Building of the week Bluecoat, Liverpool What’s happening? The grade I listed building, believed to be the oldest in the city centre, will reopen tomorrow as a community arts space – where people can see art from ‘production to consumption’. And that means…? A new way for the public to experience ‘culture’ – by engaging directly with artists, performers and creative retailers. There will also be workshops for adults with learning difficulties and young people with behavioural problems. What’s in it? Studios and exhibition space for promising artists plus four new galleries and 200-seat performance space, a coffee bar, restaurant and shopping area. Who’s behind it? The £12.5m project was backed by Arts Council England (North West), Northwest Development Agency, European Regional Development Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund. www.newstartmag.co.uk news Replace RDA board with elected body, government told by Chloe Stothart [email protected] Maps detailing public art walks and aimed at teachers and students in the Tyne & Wear area have been produced by the Arts Council with support from TyneWear Partnership and regional development agency One Northeast. The four teachers’ guides contain information on the artworks to help children learn about English, history and geography. The maps are being distributed free to schools during March. Pictured is Jack Middleton, aged nine, from Sunderland. Details: David Wilson, 0191 548 5860, www.commissionsnorth.org A councillor led body should be set up to take decisions on planning, housing and transport currently in the hands of unelected and unaccountable regional development agencies, ministers have been told. The South East Regional Assembly (Seera) said the new structure should include 70% council representatives nominated by each authority and just 30% nominated by government – the same balance as in regional assemblies. Regional assemblies originally objected to the idea of housing, transport and planning powers being transferred to RDAs because the latter do not include any elected representatives. A task group of councillors is currently working on detailed proposals showing how the new organisation could work. One proposal suggests replacing the board of South East England Regional Development Agency (Seeda) with the new structure. This would render the RDA virually powerless and give the new organisation wide-ranging control over economic development. Local people would be given a greater say. But if ministers reject this idea, Seera said it would set- tle for a councillor controlled committee responsible for planning, housing and transport decisions. Keith Mitchell, Seera chair, said Seeda was ‘very remote’ from those affected by its decisions. Describing the transfer of responsibilities announced in last year’s sub-national review of economic development and comprehensive spending review as ‘undemocratic’ and in need of ‘serious work’, he added: ‘The fact is they [RDAs] have not been elected at any stage, are not accountable to anyone other than central government and government is giving its own agency a job that should be carried out by people with a democratic mandate.’ The assembly and Seeda have frequently been at loggerheads over planning issues. The assembly has tended to lobby for lower housing numbers than the RDA while the agency has pressed for the expansion of Heathrow airport – something the assembly opposes. Mr Mitchell added: ‘I won’t pretend the RDA are falling over themselves to do this they are used to operating as they currently do and worry they would be torn two ways, but we have managed the central and local government tension within the assembly so I think it could be done.’ Rail upgrade worth £60bn to economy, says consultant A new high-speed rail network would slash journey times between London and Glasgow to just three hours, according to a report. Planning and engineering consultants Atkins said that building two new lines between the cities, going up the east and west coast, would be worth more than £60bn over 60 years to the UK economy. Infrastructure costs would be £31bn and the network could be operational before 2026. London to Birmingham journey times could come down to just one hour, while London to Manchester would take between 74 and 79 minutes, the report said. Atkins said the lines were needed as capacity on the existing network could be exhausted within a decade. In the last ten years, there has been a 45% growth in the number of passenger trips on trains, the report added. Increased security at airports and rising fuel costs for motorists have made rail travel increasingly attractive, Atkins said. The lines would also free up capacity on existing infrastructure. Andy Southern, managing director of Atkins’ transport planning division, said: ‘It is clear that a high-speed rail network should not only be viewed in Scots get say over how £57.7m of rural funding is spent Rural communities across Scotland will share £57.7m to grow local their economies, improve rural facilities and conserve the environment. The funding, a joint allocation by the Scottish Government and European Union under the Leader programme, is the first tranche of money to be released under the £1.6bn Scotland Rural Development Programme. Matched at a local level by public www.newstartmag.co.uk and private funds and managed by 16 local action groups, the programme is intended to support innovative, community led plans to develop local economies; £38.5m will be awarded for the whole of rural Scotland with an additional £19.2m for the Highlands and Islands. Cabinet secretary for rural affairs and the environment, Richard Lochhead, said: ‘The fact that all fund- ing decisions are to be taken locally will greatly empower community decision-making and ensure that only those projects which will make a real difference to rural Scotland will be selected. ‘I would like to encourage rural communities to seize the opportunities now presented by this funding and take control of their own future development.’ terms of its benefit to relieving congestion on the rail network. The economic gain could also be extremely significant. ‘Our modelling shows the impact would be felt by local communities as well as the business traveller choosing to go by rail rather than air. There is also potential to reduce overall carbon emissions from transport in the UK.’ Details: www.atkinsglobal.com 40,000 The number of problematic drug users in prison at any one time, according to government estimates. This week the Ministry of Justice announced a review of the effectiveness of measures to disrupt the supply of illicit drugs into prison. The report will be published at the end of May. new start 14 march 2008 7 news Newsdesk: 0114 281 6133 Luton residents opt for housing plan over NDC’s community hub by Barry McCarthy [email protected] A building in Luton is at the centre of a dispute between residents and the area’s new deal for communities partnership. Marsh Farm Community Development Trust, which manages the NDC, commissioned consultants to come up with ideas to regenerate the centre of the deprived estate. Around 64% of residents voted for an option which involves retaining a former factory currently housing the NDC and small businesses. However, the trust wanted to demolish the building, replacing it with a ‘community hub’ nearby. Although the hub would be smaller than the factory, its modern, purposebuilt facilities would make it more likely to attract businesses and other organisations, the trust said. Board members added that a new community hub would also have been more energy efficient. The option chosen by the residents, which includes plans for 157 flats, 131 houses and eight shops, is also more expensive than the trust’s preferred choice. The proposals chosen by the majority of locals would cost between £11m and £13m, compared Youth charities share £27m A £27m programme to help charities support young people in disadvantaged areas has been launched. The money will help Kids Company, Speaking Up, Fairbridge, UK Youth and Leap develop their work on issues such as substance abuse, reducing teenage pregnancy, homelessness and coping with disability. A government spokesperson said third sector organisations had a crucial role to play in supporting the country’s most vulnerable people. The charities beat off competition from 85 other applications for funding. Details: www.dcsf.gov.uk NW white collar growth The financial and professional services sector has grown more than any other industry in north-west England over the past decade, according to research. Manchester Metropolitan University found 428,800 people were employed in the sector last year, up from 315,200 in 1997. The increase accounts for 23% of overall growth in the region’s ten top industries for job creation, with education and life sciences the next fastest developing. Other strong sectors included retail and construction. Details: www.mmu.ac.uk 8 14 march 2008 new start to between £8m and £11m for the board’s alternative. If a study conducted by the trust reveals the most popular scheme is unviable, the board will reconsider its alternative, which was the second choice of residents receiving 24% of the votes. ‘Whatever happens we will have a central area that people can be proud of,’ said Graham Beckett, finance and operations manager at the trust. The situation comes at a critical time for NDCs as the ten-year programme reaches its final stages. East Brighton NDC, ebndc, is the latest to unveil plans designed to ensure work continues. It has launched a resident-led trust to manage £3.5m worth of property, including shops, offices and flats. Income from the assets will be used to fund the work of local groups. ‘It’s an excellent mix of local residents with their intimate knowledge of the community and professional members who can help ensure the trust is financially successful,’ said city councillor and board chair Anne Meadows. ‘The regeneration programme has made a huge, positive difference in east Brighton and we are confident that the trust will continue the long-term improvement of the area.’ The Children’s Commissioner for England, Sir Al Aynsley-Green, is pictured visiting teenagers in west Middlesbrough recently as part of a national listening tour to find out first hand about young people’s concerns. He has been visiting projects that involve young people as leaders. During the visit he took part in a question and answer debate and heard how young people are making a difference by delivering services themselves under Just 4 Youth, a new youth development company offering training, research and consultancy led by young people. Financial advice pilot is unnecessary, say activists Government should set up a new national money advice service outlined in a major review rather than risk ‘pilot fatigue’ by testing it first, a charity has said. The Thoresen review said a service should be set up providing advice on budgeting, saving and retirement planning – funded through a levy on financial services providers and the government. But the government has decided to go ahead with the report’s recommendation to pilot the scheme first for two years. Charity Help the Aged said trial- ling the scheme was ‘at best disappointing and at worst unnecessary procrastination’. David Sinclair, head of policy at the charity, said: ‘It’s obvious what needs to be done to help people and it’s about time the government set concrete plans for helping them. Some older people have enough to worry about financially without adding pilot fatigue into the mix.’ The review said the scheme could save its users more than £15bn and the government up to £6bn. The man behind the review, Otto Thoresen, chief executive of financial services firm Aegon, said partnership should be ‘at the heart’ of the service to help ‘build on the expertise of existing organisations who provide help and advice to the public and are able to reach out to people in ways and places that are convenient to them’. Further details of the £12m pilot scheme, which is expected to help 750,000 people and will be delivered by the Financial Services Authority, are due soon. Thoresen review final report and Financial capability: the government’s long-term approach, www.hm-treasury.gov.uk Ministers encourage use of individual support orders Ministers are calling for more young offenders in England to be given more support to help them tackle the causes of poor conduct. As part of the £13m ‘challenge and support’ scheme, the government has invited 52 areas in the country to bid for funding to issue individual support orders (ISOs) alongside antisocial behaviour orders (asbos). ISOs have been available since 2004, but the take up has been poor with less than 10% of asbos including a requirement to address problems such as alcohol and drug abuse. If young people fail to take the help offered through ISOs they face a fine of £1,000. Challenge and support projects are designed to intervene at the first sign of problems such as truancy, bad behaviour in school or trouble with the police. Ed Balls, secretary for children, schools and families, said: ‘ISOs are not a soft option – they challenge young people to change their behaviour for the long term. Local areas need to make sure that they intervene early and deliver a coordinated approach, alongside enforcement measures like asbos.’ www.newstartmag.co.uk Introducing the first accredited courses for community cohesion practitioners vÀÊ«ÀÊÓään Blending theory with practice, the courses will improve your organisational performance and personal effectiveness in bringing communities together and fostering cohesion. UÊ*ÃÌ}À>`Õ>ÌiÊ iÀÌwV>ÌiÊÊ ÕÌÞÊ iÃÊ>>}iiÌ UÊ*ÃÌ}À>`Õ>ÌiÊ«>ÊÊ ÕÌÞÊ iÃÊ>>}iiÌ UÊÊÊ ÕÌÞÊ iÃÊ>>}iiÌ iÃ}i`ÊvÀÊ«>ÀÌÌiÊ«>ÀÌV«>ÌÃÊvÀÊÜ ÊVÕÌÞÊ V iÃÊÃÊ>ÊÃ}wV>ÌÊÀiÊÀÊÀiëÃLÌÞ]ÊÌ iÊÃÕÌiÊvÊ courses provides a unique blend of peer group learning and practical support from senior academics, management professionals and cohesion specialists. *i>ÃiÊVÌ>VÌÊÕÃÊvÀÊÀiÊvÀ>Ì\ /i\Ê024 7688 7091 >\Ê[email protected] 7iL\Êwww.cohesioninstitute.org.uk KMC2209_26Feb08.indd 1 5/3/08 10:00:05 a toolkit for designing a specific, effective consultancy brief Certainly the toolkit will be very useful at the next stage for the City Council Clearly a better quality product, excellent work It has helped me benchmark where my team is against good practice and other organisations When an organisation commissions a piece of consultancy, be it advice, research, evaluation or a bespoke piece of work, they are not buying a commodity which can be examined and comes with a guarantee, they are buying a highly variable service which depends on the skills of the individuals involved. The purpose of the Intelligent Commissioning toolkit is to help you through the process of buying the right skills for your assignment. The toolkit is available digitally for just £95 + VAT and contains sample forms and documents that can be customised for your project. Toolkits can be ordered by emailing [email protected] or calling 0114 2816130. New Start will also be running future masterclasses on this subject. To register your interest email [email protected] Pushing the Boundaries - Managing Equality, Cohesion and Human Rights In Public Sector Organisations The Centre for Local Policy Studies is holding a Summer School Conference on 2nd/3rd/4th July 2008. The theme is Managing Equality, Cohesion and Human Rights In Public Sector Organisations - ‘Developing a Framework for Meeting the Challenges’ There will be a mix of expert speakers/contributors and workshops on current equalities frameworks, working with an equality improvement framework, equality impact assessments, the ‘new’ local government improvement framework, and other topics. Places are limited so early booking is recommended. Early bird deal: Book before 31 March 2008 and pay only £795! Location Disley, Cheshire Date and time 02 Jul 2008 (4.00pm) - 04 Jul 2008 (4:00pm) Further information www.clps.org.uk Contact Nasreen Kaleem or Carole Brocken Tel: 01695 584765 Email: [email protected] or [email protected] www.newstartmag.co.uk Edge Hill Display.indd 1 new start 14 MARCH 2008 04/03/2008 16:56:03 exhibition | conference | networking FREE ENTRY REGISTER ONLINE NOW! Exhibition Zones see things differently Innovation Centre Engineering the Future Sustainable Design Village Next Generation Property and Investment Future Buildings To achieve sustainability you have to think about the facts. Think is a two-day exhibition and conference where over 100 exhibitors across the whole value chain offer practical solutions and case studies on delivering sustainability in the built environment. The Next Generation zone is one of six dedicated zones, each with a debating chamber, together hosting over 80 free sessions, plus keynote speeches from industry and government leaders. Sustainability isn’t just about saving the environment. It’s about ongoing training and promotion: developing the professionals to make urban places work. Think puts you at the forefront of action on sustainability and entry to the exhibition is FREE if you pre-register (£20 on the door). Visit www.think08.co.uk/register or call 08701 129 109 Platinum Sponsors: Gold Sponsors: Charter Sponsor: Silver Sponsors: Sustainability Consultant: news analysis Newsdesk: 0114 281 6133 Beacons are a clear signal of improvement This year’s beacon awards highlighted much innovation in local government. But some still need to be persuaded to shout about their successes. Rosie Niven reports Councils have traditionally borne the brunt of people’s wrath when it comes to the standards of local services. Yet, when they set high standards for the delivery of public services, their efforts are rarely celebrated, let alone rewarded. Marianne Hood is someone who knows more than most about councils’ achievements in public service delivery. As chair of the panel that selects successful authorities in the government’s beacon scheme she sees examples of some of the most innovative work in the public sector. ‘It’s about giving people recognition so they can go and help others,’ she says. ‘The beacons highlight the kind of authorities who have a culture of going out and having a go and respecting all the members of staff. The sort of notion of leadership that everyone is free to go out and try things – a learning culture.’ Ms Hood notes that councils often fail to realise where they are doing groundbreaking things because they just see it as their normal way of working. She sometimes has to explain to councils that what they are doing is unusual, which is why the Improvement and Development Agency (Idea) is given the role of identifying and sharing best practice from the scheme. Each year, government departments suggest priority public service areas that should be included as beacon themes. There were ten themes this year including better public places, reducing reoffending, citizen engagement and empowerment. Last week’s awards ceremony also saw the presentation of a special award to councils and service providers that consistently demonstrate excellence and innovation across a wider range of services. They are: Sheffield Council, Tameside Council, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority and Merseyside Public Transport Authority. ‘It reflected what we as a panel observed,’ she says. ‘There are authorities who gain beacon status again and again in many different areas. It’s telling you something about how that council works. They haven’t been thrown by chief executives going or political control changing. We’ve suggested that Warwick Business School should do a little more looking at what we can learn from the culture of those organisations.’ Other authorities have now adopted some of the best practice highlighted by the beacon scheme. Ms Hood remembers the Sanctuary initiative by Harrow Council to help the victims of domestic violence remain in their own homes. With the help of the police, www.newstartmag.co.uk secure rooms were developed where victims could go and raise the alarm when their abuser turned up. Ms Hood recalls being ‘more than sceptical’ when she first heard about this scheme. ‘Housing’s my world and I was thinking, “this is making women prisoners in their own home”. Well, smack my wrists. We were presented with woman after woman telling us that it was what they wanted and how they had helped to design it. I have to say that a number of us were eating humble pie. ‘That sanctuary approach has now been rolled out. It’s still controversial but it has been done by the women. And I agree with them, why should they move away? Why should they have to take their kids out of the local school?’ While the beacon awards shortlist is dominated by local authorities, the panel is keen to recognise the achievements of a range of public services. Since their inception nine years ago, the government has widened the criteria to include all best value authorities. Key beacons Rotherham Council – better public places Rotherham has created a new division, incorporating all services responsible for the street scene. The Street Pride director is able to tailor the workload and priorities for all staff, which makes it easier to respond to specific issues as they arise. Peterborough Council – improving accessibility Peterborough’s success is based on understanding where the main accessibility problems are and how they can be tackled. The approach is both city-wide and also focused on geographical areas of need. This includes work with existing communities and ensuring accessibility is part of the continuing expansion of the city. Leeds Council – local strategic partnerships and local area agreements The LSP has reached 76% of the local population through the Leeds Voice initiative. The partnership has also delivered a range of projects to bring together Leeds’ diverse communities, particularly across different faiths. Local budgets and participatory appraisal have also been used to deliver partnership work at neighbourhood level. Staffordshire Moorlands Council – citizen engagement and empowerment Staffordshire Moorlands has developed an approach to citizen engagement and service delivery which tackles the barriers presented by dispersed and often isolated communities. The council has also demonstrated its determination to engage with the whole community and secure the involvement of less visible groups. Merseyside Public Transport Authority was one of four providers given a special award for consistent excellence. Pictured are Fred Weavers, Sefton Council; Mick Noone, operational director transportation, Halton Council; Jean Quinn, Wirral Council and PTA member, Denis Knowles, Wirral Council and PTA member. The work of the community sector in partnership with local authorities is also recognised and Mrs Hood says there are plans to extend the scheme to include bodies like primary care trusts. The beacon panel has also worked hard to get more district councils on board. ‘When I was first on the panel there weren’t many applications, especially from the smaller rural ones. We still have some of the smaller district councils saying “this just takes too much time”. And we know it does, which is why we encourage partnership applications. That’s one way of sharing the resources.’ Since the scheme began more than 1,700 applications have been made for beacon status. But some authorities have been conspicuous by their absence. ‘I live in hope of Kent County Council one day deciding it will put in an application for beacon status,’ she says. ‘They have some good practice for others to learn from so I hope that they apply.’ Next year’s beacons will include an economic development theme and one on Olympic legacy. With the latter award, Ms Hood is particularly keen to receive applications from all over the country. ‘It’s not just about London,’ she insists. But as well as preparing for next year’s award, the panel is doing other work including exporting the beacon scheme to other parts of the world. Bosnia Herzegovina was one of the first countries to adopt the beacon scheme as part of measures to improve accountability in local government. The panel is now looking at ways of sharing best practice in local government across international borders and is speaking to government about how the beacons can play a role in this. ‘What we are saying to the Department for International Development and the Foreign Office is why spend megabucks on consultants when you have your own homegrown authorities with practical hands-on experience? To be a beacon, not only do you have to be good, you have something unique that no one else has to offer.’ The beacon scheme was set up to disseminate best practice in service delivery across local government. Beacon status is granted to authorities that can demonstrate a clear vision, excellent services and a willingness to innovate within a theme. During their beacon year, authorities share best practice with other authorities through events, open days and working with the Improvement and Development Agency on learning materials. Details: www.beacons.idea.gov.uk new start 14 march 2008 11 contacts we say Why unlimited wealth will always be a poor solution to poverty A www.newstartmag.co.uk New Start Publishing Ltd The Workstation, Paternoster Row Sheffield S1 2BX Tel: 0114 281 6130 [email protected] Editorial director [email protected] Julian Dobson 0114 229 5726 Editor [email protected] Austin Macauley 0114 281 6133 Assistant editor [email protected] Susan Downer 0114 281 6133 Production editor [email protected] Tim Mawdsley 020 8870 2944 Reporter [email protected] Rosie Niven 020 8981 4645 Reporter [email protected] Barry McCarthy 0114 281 6133 Special correspondent [email protected] Chloe Stothart 020 8853 0418 Managing director [email protected] Jamie Veitch 0114 281 6130 Projects manager [email protected] Ryan May 0114 281 6130 Advertising manager [email protected] Chloe Gray 0114 281 6130 Subscriptions manager [email protected] Hazel Wheeler 0845 643 1202 Advertisement production [email protected] Chris Dowson 0114 281 6130 Financial controller Craig Williamson [email protected] 0114 281 6130 Sales executives Tom Wright Harry Orford Charlotte Wilson telephone: 0114 281 6130 email: [email protected] Non-executive director Kath Acres All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be produced in any material form (including photocopying it or storing it in any medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without the written permission of the copyright owner except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, 6-10 Kirby Street, London, England, EC1N 8TS. Applications for the copyright owner’s written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher. Annual subscription rates: UK £95. Europe £105. Rest of the world £145. Ezine £75. 12 14 march 2008 new start nyone hearing business and enterprise minister John Hutton this week might be forgiven for thinking they’d been transported back to the 1980s. All you’d need to complete the picture is Kylie Minogue’s dulcet tones on the radio and Harry Enfield’s Loadsamoney sketch on telly every week. Mr Hutton, in case you’re wondering which millennium we’re in, has been waxing lyrical about ambition. Greed is good, he almost said. What he did say was that there’s no conflict between aspiring to the lifestyle of the super-rich and tackling child poverty: ‘Our overarching goal that no one should get left behind must not become translated into a stultifying sense that no one should be allowed to get ahead.’ Having just seen my team of super-rich so-called footballers thumped 4-0 three times in succession, I’m not so sure about the value of celebrating huge salaries. A few months on jobseekers’ allowance would do them the world of good. More to the point, there’s simply no evidence that the poor are held back because the rich can’t fulfil their ambitions. That’s classic trickle-down economics: if you have more money than you know what to do with, it creates jobs for butlers and valets. People thought the slave trade was justified because it created jobs, too. Mr Hutton declared this week that ‘any progressive party worth its name must enthusiastically advocate empowering people to climb without limits.’ So we should stop bashing the rich. But ‘bash the rich’ is a slogan I haven’t heard since the poll tax protests. And as Tony Blair has demonstrated since resigning as prime minister, the Labour Party can be as good a road to riches as any. Yet policy after policy leaves the poor in poverty. And an important paper from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation this week showed how far we need to go to solve that conundrum. The paper investigated whether peoplebased or place-based policies were most successful. Its conclusion was that we really don’t know. Some programmes aimed at the poorest, such as Sure Start, appear to have been hijacked by the ‘less disadvantaged’, it reports (there’s ambition for you). Others have made a difference, but how much is impossible to tell because there hasn’t been any rigorous assessment of what would have happened otherwise. Anyone who walks the streets of our poorest areas will know that it isn’t the tax burden on the richest that holds back progress. It’s the scarcity of support for the frontline services and community organisations that help to generate ambition and aspiration where there is none. Julian Dobson, editorial director [email protected] Global perspectives Golden State’s veggie-powered tree tour The world’s largest fleet of vegetable oil-powered buses recently set off on its annual tour of Californian schools. Now in its fifth year, the Fruit Tree Tour aims to transform barren inner city schoolyards into orchards. A team of 25 volunteers help students plant an array of tree varieties – including avocado, fig, nectarine and pomegranate. The tour will cover 20,500 miles visiting schools across the state. Since the initiative was launched by charity Common Vision in 2003, it has planted in excess of 2,000 trees at more than 100 schools in over 40 towns and cities. Operations director Megan Watson explains: ‘By transforming schoolyards into living classrooms, we are waking up a new generation of urban youth to the wonders and wisdom of the natural world that nourishes our every need. Most inner-city California students never get to go into nature.’ And the tour’s mode of transport also provides inspiration. ‘Fruit Tree Tour’s veggie oil-powered fleet has the technology to travel the entire state on recycled fry oil,’ said Leo Buc, described as the tour’s ‘organic mechanic and homegrown eco-hip hopper’. ‘When our beautiful hand-painted, bio-powered buses roll up, students can see first hand that there are more sustainable ways of getting from A to B.’ www.newstartmag.co.uk you say Over the past ten years, levels of alcohol consumption have increased significantly in Britain. This is especially true of women and children. The way we drink is also changing, with more alcohol being bought from off licenses and consumed at home. There have been substantial changes to the type of alcohol we drink. Alcopops, designed to target younger consumers, have been heavily marketed. Lagers are now available that are stronger than some wines. Sales of 12-14% ABV wines are higher now than ever before. The sheer quantity of drink available to us has increased, too. Changes to licensing laws have had a liberalising effect on the issuing of licenses to sell alcohol, leading to a saturation of alcohol outlets on the high street. Cheap European travel has seen tourists and others buying alcohol in bulk on visits to France or Spain. Nationally, the picture of the harmful drinker is no longer necessarily one of the unemployed or the vagrant but is as likely to be a schoolgirl, a pensioner, a businessman or a public health official. There is also greater awareness of the long-term psychological and physiological damage that even relatively low level consumption of alcohol can do to the individual, as well as the well-documented harm caused by alcohol through cirrhosis of the liver, drinking and driving, alcohol fuelled violence and disorder. Last year, the Home Office – with the Department for Education and Skills, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and Department of Health – launched Safe sensible social – the next steps in the national alcohol strategy. It required local authorities and agencies to: ■Sharpen criminal justice for drunken behaviour Energy suppliers and their regulator Ofgem are hardly ever out of the news lately. And it’s definitely Tony Hawkhead the Brickbats Gazette rather than the Bouquet Telegraph. With rising fuel prices announced on an almost daily basis, there is increasing concern that millions of people are likely to find themselves tipped into fuel poverty as a result. The Fuel Poverty Advisory Group has stepped in to the debate pointing out that consumers now pay far more on utility bills than they did five years ago and that households using prepayment meters, often those on low incomes, pay up to 20% more than those paying by direct debit. That is a scandal. One in six www.newstartmag.co.uk We need a moment of clarity to get the measure of alcohol Neil de Reybekill assesses our battle with the bottle and where policymakers are going wrong Policy units: drinkers need to track their home consumption, just as they can in a bar households now lives in fuel poverty according to an Observer survey. Gordon Brown is reported to have met with energy suppliers recently – can we expect a windfall tax in the next budget? Of course fuel poverty is also closely connected to climate change and will be felt more as energy shortages begin to bite and prices increase. As a result it’s important that we bring energy efficiency into the discussion as well as cost. A quarter of all carbon emissions are generated by our homes, so their environmental performance is vital. The tough new targets for efficient insulation of new houses do not extend to existing homes and, short of closing a few doors and windows, most people don’t know where to start to make an impact. In Leeds, Groundwork has had some success tackling fuel poverty among elderly and vulnerable residents by offering free one to one advice and support to encourage energy efficiency. Working with the council and other partners the project installs simple measures like radiator panels, hot water tank jackets and draft excluders to keep homes warmer while reducing fuel bills and carbon emissions. The government has started to recognise the connection between fuel poverty and climate change. In last year’s energy white paper it reaffirmed its commitment to ‘One in six households now lives in fuel poverty according to an Observer survey. Gordon Brown is reported to have met with energy suppliers recently – can we expect a windfall tax in the next budget?’ ■Toughen enforcement of under-age sales ■More accurately target NHS alcoholrelated harm reduction interventions ■Draw up a crime, disorder and substance misuse strategy for their area. This misses a major point. With new definitions of what is safe to drink, few non-specialists can now tell what a unit of alcohol is or whether their favourite tipple is going to cause them problems or not. For some time, it has been hard for most of us to know how many units a glass of beer or wine at the bar contains. Today, with so much alcohol drunk at home, the problem is how you tell what is safe, when you don’t have the optics and measured glasses to help you. If government is serious about this issue – and the shedloads of money being thrown at it appears to indicate that they are – then they have to make their minds up about what they want. Is alcohol a commodity like any other, which can be sold in every shop on the high street, or should we restrict its sale far more stringently than at present? We are sinking under alcohol policies and strategies at the moment, and there is something of a moral panic among the chattering classes. The challenge is to find a universally understandable measure of alcohol consumption, decide on safe levels of drinking and publicise. At present, we are befuddled: waltzing slowly towards a public health disaster. Either we can cross our fingers, reinvent temperance and wait for the Band of Hope, or we must construct a clear and consistent alcohol strategy and stick to it for a while. Neil de Reybekill is principal consultant in health policy at MEL Research. maintain a target on household energy suppliers to reduce carbon emissions. Since then Defra, which has been developing options, admitted that the social impacts of carbon reduction obligations need to be fully understood in order to fully tackle fuel poverty. Defra has also charged the Sustainable Development Commission with developing a ‘supplier obligation’, which aims to give both suppliers and consumers a shared incentive to reduce carbon emissions. The focus for the last few years has been on social housing hitting decent homes targets. Perhaps it’s now time to recognise that a decent home is not just free from damp but one which doesn’t leave the tenant at the mercy of global energy markets. Otherwise, the PM’s restated ambition to end child poverty could be very hard to achieve. Tony Hawkhead is chief executive of Groundwork UK. new start 14 march 2008 13 Organised by in association with A great deal has been said about Community Land Trusts. The concept is widely known and because they bring the affordable housing and community engagement agendas together, they are proving very popular. This year, the national CLT event will focus on the key obstacles that practitioners and communities are encountering in areas such as land, planning & tenure, technical support and finance, as well as looking closely at how the spatial planning and sustainable communities strategies can be brought together. This conference is essential for all support agencies and organisations involved in housing and regeneration including: 30TH APRIL 2008 CHURCH HOUSE CONFERENCE CENTRE, LONDON Over 20 speakers including: Iain Wright, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Communities & Local Government Matthew Taylor, Liberal Democrat MP, Leader of the Rural Economy & Affordable Housing Review Bob Paterson, Project Director, Community Finance Solutions Adrian Moran, Policy Manager, Housing Corporation Professor James Powell OBE, Pro Vice Chancellor Enterprise & Regional Affairs, University of Salford Sponsored by Local authorities Housing associations Registered social landlords Development trusts Rural community councils Planning professionals Rural housing enablers NDCs WWW.CLT-CONFERENCE.CO.UK worklife you say Significant others Thea Stein ‘My teacher’s story has been one of the many factors in my decision to work in areas that can influence social justice and create change.’ Teachers can be a significant and lasting influence in a child’s life – and I consider myself very lucky. One of mine, who I will not name to save embarrassment, has proved to be just that. What made my teacher special was his belief in humanity, his overwhelming compassion for other people and his overriding sense of humour. When I tell you that my teacher was a survivor of the Holocaust, and had seen some of the very worst of human nature at first hand, you will understand why I hold him in such high esteem. I remember one story in particular that he told to my class when I was 11, about life in Auschwitz. At the end of a long hard day’s labour, if they were lucky, the people in the camps were given a small amount of bread and a small amount of butter to eat. He told us that one day in the camp – a religious festival – his father had suggested they made a candle out of the butter ration and lit it to celebrate their faith. My teacher, who was a young child at the time, was quite understandably appalled. But his father said: ‘We have learned that you can live for three days without food and for two days without water – but you can not live for a single day without hope.’ Many years later, I still remember that teacher and the way he talked about his experiences and his view that any situation can be approached in a positive light – whatever happens in your life you Thea Stein is executive director for economic inclusion at regional development agency Yorkshire Forward. She is responsible for its communities, skills and transport agendas. Prior to joining the RDA in 2006, she was chief executive of Leeds North East Primary Care Trust and before that held various roles within the health and social care sector after qualifying as a clinical psychologist. have some choice about what you do and how you respond. I am certain that my teacher’s story and his ability to see the good in people despite his early experiences has been one of the many factors in my decision to work in areas that can influence social justice and create change. I wanted to be in a position to change things, for individuals and then for whole groups. This led me from a career in clinical psychology, through research, working with drug addicts and homeless people, to public health and many other arenas before moving into the area of regeneration and regional development with Yorkshire Forward. I am clear that the pursuit of economic development and the development of social justice go hand in hand and the challenge of regeneration is how we ensure that it involves everyone and builds cohesion and not division. I am a great admirer of people who keep their faith and hope in extreme situations and indeed in simply difficult and challenging places. I meet people who are inspirational every day and people who make the decision to go the extra mile, try that bit harder and not give up. They are from all walks of life from big business, politics to ordinary people you meet on a train. They are all people who continue to believe in the possibility of change. And I always remember that whatever challenges I face, I have two vital things – the power to make a difference and the ability to hope. What’s the biggest challenge facing the sector? Local government has a very demanding agenda. It is being asked to save the planet and deliver vital services on a shoestring. It can be more efficient but it needs more freedom so the talent within it can act. What’s the best course you’ve been on? A leadership course at Ashridge Business School, Hertfordshire. It taught me the value of being true to your own strengths and how to use the skills of others to achieve common goals. www.newstartmag.co.uk ‘I’ve been pondering my leaving do. Choosing a date can get a bit tricky – get in there early before you leave, but when everyone’s still up for it, or go for it a week or two later when everyone’s liver feels like it’s being mentored by Amy Winehouse?’ What skill is the most important? Communication skills. It’s no use being able to get to grips with policy quickly, which is often required in the job, if you can’t get the key messages across succinctly. everyone’s still up for it, or go for it a week or two later when everyone’s liver feels like it’s being mentored by Amy Winehouse? The former feels a bit previous, while the latter risks not many turning up, which would stay imprinted on your ego as a horrifying illustration of just how unpopular you are. Oh it’s all too difficult. I must say I was very pleased to get an invite to the leaving do of Bristol’s NRU manager. I think all the staff there are lovely, but I’ve given the department a bit of a rough ride in this column over the years so it was very forgiving of her to invite me. And that’s the other problem with a leaving do. How wise is it to not invite the people who register low on my how-much-do-I-like-you meter? As I’m going to need another job soon, there’s only so much scorched earth I can risk leaving behind me… What’s the best work experience you’ve had? Public speaking can be a good confidence building exercise, but when unprepared the very opposite can be true. Keren Suchecki is learning and development manager at Hartcliffe and Withywood Community Partnership. Career ladder Andrew Collinge Andrew Collinge is director of policy and public affairs at the Local Government Information Unit. He has a degree in modern languages from Lancaster University, where he specialised in French and German. He formerly worked at the research organisation Ipsos Mori. This is my last Double devolution column – I’ll be leaving HWCP in a few weeks’ time. I was the first Double devolution employee eight years ago in an empty shop without the luxury of a chair, let alone phones, desks, computers, filing cabinets or carpet. It was January 2000 and so cold that I needed to wear a hat, gloves, woolly knickers and a hot water bottle to work. And look at us now, 20 staff in our very own pastelcoloured, eco-friendly, ergonomically designed, high-tech, uber-lovely community building. And just as I got comfy, I got slung out. I’ve been pondering my leaving do. It’s all a bit complicated, what with so many people losing their jobs here and around the city. There’s a danger of leaving do fatigue as the same crowd of people traipse round the pubs week after week. Choosing a date can get a bit tricky – get in there early before you leave, but when What qualification is the most valued? While they are increasingly scarce, social policy qualifications are valuable. Economics is also important. However, I am impressed by hard-won experience and knowledge that people have gained in public sector organisations. What would your key piece of career advice be? If you want to achieve big things in an organisation you must understand the need for good, consistent management to get the best out of a varied team. new start 14 march 2008 15 learning curve There’s a piece of advice most organisations aiming to become self-financing would do well to heed: don’t put all your eggs in one basket. The path to sustainability can be rocky; times change and change is inevitable. Being alert to new opportunities and being prepared to do things differently are therefore par for the course. Calculating and spreading risk is good business sense. Few would seek to simply own assets, win public contracts or expect to become self-financing from consultancy services alone, but each of these approaches could be worth careful consideration. Susan Downer and Barry McCarthy profile three approaches to find out what they have to offer Taking the right road The road to sustainability 1: Set up a consultancy – Royds ‘C onsultancy is a dirty word,’ says Tony Dylak, chief executive of Royds Community Association in Bradford. And he should know. Royds Consultancy was set up in 2001 after private sector board members pointed out that the advice, information and guidance the community association was giving away was something every self-respecting private business would charge for. It was the first time the community association thought about doing something so often associated with people who make large sums of money by telling communities what they already know before disappearing. ‘What we have found more and more is that people will pay for good quality information and guidance,’ Mr Dylak says. ‘And when people pay for advice it has more credence and they take more notice.’ The association, which began life with £31m from the single regeneration budget (SRB), started testing the market by charging a few hundred pounds. It now charges the going rate. With services delivered by senior staff and directors, two of whom are neighbourhood renewal advisers, the consultancy currently makes up to £120,000 a year. ‘That’s a lot of unrestricted income to go into a charity.’ No more do they aim to be the cheapest. Mr Dylak adds: ‘Sometimes when we get feedback after Lessons learned ■know your worth and stick to what you know ■avoid the bandwagon – don’t think you can do it just because others have. Look carefully at your skills and ask whether you really can provide the service people are looking for ■be professional – don’t break your promises or let your customers down ■know your market, find your niche – what have you got that other consultants don’t have? ■know your limits – diverting staff attention from their usual work has costs as well as benefits ■don’t undersell yourself Benefits ■free publicity – the more you get around the more people will know who you are ■cross pollination – you take learning from other organisations back to your communities ■networking and contacts Resident gathered at consultation events run by Royds Consultancy in Blackburn and Darwen 16 14 march 2008 new start Contact: Tony Dylak, chief executive Email: [email protected] Tel: 01274 355600 www.royds.org.uk/consultancy.php tendering for contracts people say our costs seemed a bit high. But we have a formula for costs and work out what we think we need in the same way a private company would. We are open about how it is charged. I am convinced that if you under-cost people think you have not thought about it, or you just end up out of pocket.’ The Royds rule is don’t subsidise another group. Instead of underselling itself to win bids by being the cheapest it plays to its strengths. It has two unique selling points: the fact that it actually does the things it’s talking about, and the fact that all the money it makes goes back into the community. ‘We provide a professional service but we can say we are not like a consultant, we are like you. We are a charity ourselves and all the money we make is used to help people back in Bradford. Because our clients are residents they are bothered about where money goes.’ One word of caution – the desire to make money isn’t a good enough reason to set up a consultancy. ‘It is definitely something for regeneration organisations to look at and with the right training and support lots of people could do it, but it’s not right for everybody. ‘It’s a bit like teaching: you can know the techniques but the ability to enthuse isn’t always there. Good consultants are people who can engage and do lots of lateral thinking and think on their feet, using their knowledge and skills to build confidence.’ Despite the image of consultants as highly paid, clever, quick on the draw troubleshooters, there’s very little glamour. ‘It’s hard work,’ Mr Dylak says. ‘Sometimes it means getting up at five am to get somewhere for a nine o’clock meeting and putting in more hours than you are getting paid for. If you’re paid for five days you’ll probably work ten. ‘And you have to be professional. If you say you’ll do something you do it, even if it means working until midnight. You’ve made a contractual commitment and it is about understanding that relationship. It is a business relationship and that is different to being more public sector orientated.’ The consultancy hosts visits, bids for contracts, helps with recruitment and masterplanning and, through its involvement in the Development Trusts Association’s consultancy programme, is currently helping communities manage asset transfers. Through word-of-mouth recommendations alone it is now having to turn work down, and is thinking of recruiting associates to meet unmet demand. If they do, the associates will have to buy into the Royds ethos – a faith in resident involvement, a commitment to providing a quality service and the one belief that underpins it all: ‘Everything can be changed for the better.’ www.newstartmag.co.uk learning curve Total Healthcare clients taking part in an exercise activity The road to sustainability 2: Deliver public services – Total Healthcare T he social enterprise Total Healthcare was born out of disillusionment with the NHS. Rita Melifonwu and fellow nurses believed cash-strapped hospitals weren’t providing the holistic treatment that patients needed. A person’s psychological state and their social and spiritual background were not issues that were often taken into consideration at the understaffed NHS. She believed that if you examine the full picture of an individual you can get to the root of a problem, improve people’s lifestyles and prevent many residents from being admitted to hospital in the first place for heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure and diabetes. She also believes that people can often ‘self manage’ their conditions better at home, taking pressure off the NHS. In 2004, Ms Melifonwu and her colleagues launched Total Healthcare in Enfield to provide this holistic care to tackle poor health in the area. But if the social enterprise was to provide a sustainable future for itself it needed reliable funding. ‘Organisations that give grants set different priorities every year so it’s difficult to win money,’ she explains. Delivering public services would, however, provide the security Total Healthcare was after. The organisation started bidding for contracts and ended up winning several tenders including one from Enfield Council to deliver self-management care for people who had suffered from problems like heart attacks and strokes. Total Healthcare also won tenders with primary care trusts in Enfield and Haringey for smoking cessation work, and a contract with Haringey Council to give people home-based support so they wouldn’t have to go to a nursing home. These contracts form the majority of Total Healthcare’s funding. www.newstartmag.co.uk For this financial year public service tenders made up £80,000 of the organisation’s total revenue of £120,000. So what was behind the company’s success? Futurebuilders England, which provides support to help third sector organisations deliver public services, played an important part by giving Total Healthcare a loan of £48,000 and grants of £42,000. But she says the key to winning contracts is to try to match your services to the targets of statutory organisations. ‘We are helping the local authority deliver its target, so we can be certain the money is there,’ Ms Melifonwu explains. Companies also need to be aware of their strengths so they can convince statutory bodies that they are worth investing in, she points out. Total Healthcare says it had an edge on rival bidders – selfemployed GPs – because it was more in touch with the community and did more outreach work. Many GPs expect patients to come to them, she argues. Social enterprises must also be willing to work with other similar organisations to grow. A partnership of five groups may have a chance of winning a contract worth £1m – but small companies operating alone have no hope of securing big tenders, she explains. Lin O’Hara, outreach and development manager at Futurebuilders England, says: ‘The commissioning process isn’t the easiest system to get to grips with, but it does present real opportunities for third sector organisations with the specialist skills and the will to deliver services. Public service delivery has helped a lot of our investees expand and develop their services, and to improve their financial viability without compromising their integrity or changing their essential values.’ Lessons learned ■make use of business support services for advice on finance, preparing for tenders, managing staff, and health and safety ■when bidding for tenders, make sure you get full cost recovery by putting in a claim for every expense incurred to deliver the contract including rent, telephone use, electricity and staff wages ■put good governance arrangements in place by creating a non executive committee, which can monitor delivery and help raise standards ■find out how to network with staff from local authorities and primary care trusts to improve your chances of winning a tender and learn more about business opportunities Benefits ■improves a group’s ability to expand its reach and develop activities ■makes an organisation more businesslike and effective ■shows that local and national government takes the work of third sector organisations seriously, giving these bodies a chance to influence policy ■public service contracts often create an income surplus to invest in innovation ■gives an organisation self-confidence that it’s providing a formal professional service rather than surviving on handouts like grants Contact: Rita Melifonwu Email: [email protected] Tel: 020 8373 2739 www.total-healthcare.org.uk new start 14 march 2008 17 learning curve The road to sustainability 3: Own and manage assets – West Itchen Community Trust W hen Dave Newton talks about West Itchen Community Trust he doesn’t mention the word regeneration. Regeneration was the round two SRB programme that spent £10m tackling the physical appearance of the area before running out of money and heading out of town. In this ethnically diverse area of Southampton where ill-health and under-employment are major problems, the shadow of crime and historically poor environment linger to shake the nerves of outsiders and money leaks into the nearby city centre it was clear that more had to be done. As the programme drew to a close the board took a bold step, deciding to invest some of its remaining funds in underperforming or dilapidated commercial property and set up a community trust to support local people and the local economy. Its £1.2m spending spree landed an office building, a terraced house (which became home to a community project) and an old GP surgery. A small enterprise park of 16 units and a small piece of industrial land were gifts from Southampton Council. It sounds like a big risk but managing director Dave Newton says risks were contained. ‘I think there were nervous people and some who needed to be convinced but the board was clued up and we looked carefully at whether the assets were underinvested or fundamentally flawed. The local authority and Seeda [South East England Development Agency] didn’t take risks, they were supportive and selective, so we had the ideal recipe of a skilled and brave board and a regional development agency and local authority prepared to work with them.’ That rare combination came about because the board had a good range of experience and the agencies trusted them, having worked with many on SRB2. The trust itself was ambitious but not foolhardy. Initially, external agents were brought in to manage the property while trust members found their feet and learned the ropes. By degrees they took the reins and are now managing the property themselves. ‘There was training along the way and expertise on the board so that helped inform staff in the management of the portfolio. As we acquired a new building we built up confidence and took on another so it was learning by doing. About eight months ago we took management in-house and that is working well. We are investing more in the properties because we see issues before they become a crisis.’ The trust now owns and manages seven sites Clockwise from left: The Trust’s assets include the Itchen Gallery, Brunswick – a Victorian building rented out as office space – and Acorn, a row of houses converted into business premises beside a 16 unit enterprise centre including some retail property that aims to support small businesses by giving them flexible leases (they can give a month’s notice if things aren’t working out) in shared accommodation. In just five years and with just five staff it has started 14 businesses, supported another 20, created 20 jobs, supported 30 voluntary organisations with coaching, networking and micro finance, helped voluntary groups raise £500,000 for the area and supported 50 individuals with their personal development. ‘We are now at a stage where we are relatively stable and have sufficient income to cover the work we do in the community. The challenge for us is to get from that point to being on a cycle of growth, developing a year on year surplus to increase our community activity,’ Mr Newton says. But because this is a community development approach the rate at which the business grows is determined by local capacity – it’s growth of and with the community. And that is why this isn’t regeneration. It’s not a big bang with big bucks – just £2.5m has been spent by the trust compared with £10m through SRB; it’s not a hit and run. ‘We will be raising income for the area as long as we survive,’ Mr Newton says. ‘There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be here in 25 years’ time. People should be able to depend on us for the long term.’ Lessons learned ■a good quality board is essential – mix local connectivity, professional business skills and professional community development skills ■build trust with public sector officers ■don’t stop communicating with local people – if you are taking a community development approach, local knowledge of what you are doing is key to building a sense of ownership ■pace it – owning and managing assets is a learning process. Learn from doing on a manageable scale and then move on ■business growth versus social investment – getting the balance right is a question of trial and error on an ongoing basis Benefits ■helps build community confidence ■supports long-term planning ■services can be shaped around community needs eg short-term leases for new businesses that wouldn’t be involved in private sector Contact: Dave Newton, managing director [email protected] Tel: 023 8038 8580 www.wict.co.uk New Start is staging a conference in Manchester on 18 March looking at ways in which organisations can plot their route to sustainability. Lessons in succession – backed by Rocket Science, the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (Cles) and Ecotec – will explore the options available and features interactive learning sessions with leading experts. To book your place go to www.succession-conference.co.uk, email [email protected] or call 0114 281 6130. 18 14 march 2008 new start www.newstartmag.co.uk climate change Bursting the growth bubble Current local economic policy simply doesn’t fit with the dangers posed by climate change. Peter North considers the available options C urrent consensus in thinking about local economic development focuses on marketing to overseas investors and visitors, improving infrastructure, developing specific advantage within the global division of labour (the knowledge economy), and focusing on culture as the new driver for growth. While there are still problems of deep-rooted poverty, the argument is that strong growth will enable those currently excluded to join the new prosperity. Yet this model of growth based regeneration has been accused of exacerbating inequalities by meeting the needs of a small, already quite privileged section of the economy. Critics have damned this ‘entrepreneurial’ approach as a diversion, creating vacuous ‘discourses of place’ that amount to little more than marketing slogans rather than hard economic activity that enables working people to achieve a comfortable standard of living. The paradigm has nothing to say about mitigating climate change. Worse, if growth based regeneration leads to increased air travel and to overall increased consumption, gains made elsewhere in carbon reduction will be negated. The growth paradigm therefore has fundamental problems. We know that avoiding ‘dangerous’ climate change – above 2oC – requires an 80% cut in carbon emissions by 2050. This will mean a fundamental restructuring of local economies as economic development strategies focused uncritically on growth become less credible. So what are the options? Four solutions to climate change 1 Continue with ‘business as usual’ and leave solutions to the future when technology has advanced. The money would be better spent on solving problems like poor health, bad housing and poor nutrition in the here-and-now. Climate change is for the privileged, the poor need more growth. The climate in the UK is not exactly perfect, and some argue a little warming would do us good. We would have longer growing seasons and the opportunity to get the kind of climate people currently flock to Spain for. In the short run this would be the case. Climate chaos will hit Bangladesh, Darfur, the Niger delta, China and the like while we warm up quite pleasantly. True, we will need to invest in more border surveillance and a larger navy to keep the desperate ecological migrants out, but, so what? As long as we get growth. Obviously, business as usual is not good enough. 2 Not all growth leads to increased carbon emissions. Being too much of a doom monger can paralyse. Martin Luther King inspired change by providing a vision of a promised land, not by talking about the number of racist murders last year being the highest on record. www.newstartmag.co.uk Many argue local economies need to undergo a process of ecological modernisation similar to the restructuring they underwent in the 1980s and 1990s as large-scale manufacturing declined. New jobs and opportunities can be generated from new environmental technologies, so for economist Nicolas Stern, who advised the government on climate change, there is no trade off between economic growth and dealing with climate change. Local economies should focus on supporting new environmental technologies and services, and invest in green businesses rather than airports and city breaks. Make it easier to be green by providing recycling, good cycle lanes and good public transport. But this might not be good enough. What if the hoped for technologies don’t actually emerge? What if we can’t wait? 3 The third scenario for local economies would be to localise – everything that can be produced locally is produced locally. It relies less on moving often similar products from place to place, burning CO2 needlessly and consuming limited fossil fuels. It focuses less on boosting GDP, and more on generating quality lifestyles that consume fewer resources by focusing on meeting needs within ecological limits. Economies should be locally or communallyowned and controlled, meaning community and social businesses are a priority. Local money networks like LETS and local banks and credit unions should be promoted. Localisation does not mean complete autarky, cutting local economies off from each other. It is a relative term – ‘local’ means minimising carbon emissions from transport to the maximum feasible extent without fundamentally reducing efficiency. This would mean moving as soon as possible to low carbon economies, rather than having to do it in a rush. This is the perspective being developed by the many Transition Towns initiatives springing up across the country. 4 The last options need not concern us unduly as they assume we are moving into a warmer, more unpleasant world where wars are fought over water, limited and plummeting oil and gas, and food supplies. Collectively, the solution would be to hold on to what we have. Or, for those individuals that can, to move to a hilltop away from the coast with its own well and dig in. These must be overly pessimistic options. Some commentators argue debates about climate change are post-political, uncontested. We cannot challenge what science says about climate change; we must do what is necessary, not debate responses. In reality, debates about ways forward are intensely political and contested. Business as usual, or survivalism seem deeply unattractive, reactionary solutions. Investing in local environmental solutions rather than airports and doing as much as we can locally to cut emissions must be the progressive local solution to climate change. This means a fundamental rethinking of what ‘growth’ means, and a move away from a knee-jerk view that climate change inevitably means hair shirts - deeply unattractive to those without people carriers or the wherewithal to participate in city breaks, whose carbon emissions are already quite low. A less unequal world would be more sustainable. Peter North is a senior lecturer in geography at Liverpool University. Some of the ideas presented here were developed in a seminar series funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, www.liv.ac.uk/ geography/seminars/ESRC-funded_seminar_series.htm new start 14 march 2008 19 digital inclusion Gateway Gardens Trust The Gateway Gardens Trust was set up in 2000 to help disadvantaged people enjoy the beauty of historic gardens. It works with disabled people, women’s groups, families on low incomes, older people, schoolchildren and ethnic minority communities throughout Wales. After receiving £70,000 from Communities@One, the trust added a new dimension to its work by lending visitors digital cameras on their visits. Development director Sharron Kerr explains: ‘What better to inspire someone to have a go at digital photography than in a beautiful garden? You have to go to see what an emotional experience it can be – there’s something about being in a beautiful place that makes people tell you their life story. What does taking photos add to it? They have a memory.’ But new skills are also being learned. ‘We’re showing them what you can do with digital technology – you do have to learn about it or you’ll be left behind. ‘The people we work with wouldn’t go to a formal class. A lot were very nervous at first when it was their turn to use the camera. It demystifies ICT – a digital camera isn’t as scary as you think when you’ve got someone to show you. People have said they’ve now got something to talk to their families about. Others, from the most disadvantaged backgrounds, have saved up and bought a digital camera.’ The learning does not stop with taking pictures – people are then taught to make ‘digital stories’ – a slide show of photos with a voiceover. ‘The digital stories are really emotional and powerful,’ adds Ms Kerr. ‘One woman started talking about how she’d been to this particular garden 40 years ago and carved her initials in a tree and could never find it again. ‘Another talked about her rural childhood – they would keep goats, slaughter pigs, her mother would feed them from the pig for weeks and bake bread every day. That’s a tradition that’s been lost in a very short space of time.’ The stories have been shown in exhibitions at the parks. ‘Ordinary members of the public kept coming in and sitting and watching them from start to finish,’ says Ms Kerr. ‘You don’t have to be rich and famous to have a story to tell. Getting people involved in digital stories strengthens feelings in the community.’ Silicon Digital technology can open the door to a world of possibilities. Varya Shaw discovers a Welsh success story that’s finding fun ways to give communities new skills I A group of women learning how to use digital cameras 20 14 march 2008 new start n deprived parts of Wales, there are too many people who feel there is no shame in being technologically illiterate. This is the situation that Communities@One, a scheme run by the Welsh Cooperative Centre in partnership with the Welsh Assembly Government, set out to change. The scheme has shown just how transformative digital technology can be for hard to reach groups, if you take the right approach. Communities@One was launched in January 2006 and since then £6.6m has been given to 200 voluntary and community groups. Each project must seek to engage people who, as deputy minister for regeneration Leighton Andrews puts it, ‘had never really engaged in technology and who aren’t reached by the education sector’. Alun Burge, head of Communities@One at the Welsh Co-operative Centre, which runs the scheme, says it’s all about making the projects ‘directly relevant to people’s lives, otherwise they won’t have any interest’. Menfa project manager Sujatha Thaladi runs a computer mentoring course with a trainee Facts and figures ■Launched in January 2006, first phase ends June 2008 ■£6.6m in grants has been given to community projects ■Scheme aims to spend a total of £12m over five years on the next round ■Second phase will be measured against the Lisbon agenda ■To ensure they are effective, projects will receive a total support package including marketing advice and technological support – not just money www.newstartmag.co.uk valleys Sujatha Thaladi, project manager at Menfa, says: ‘It used to be such a mess – they used to scream and shout to get their turn. Now everyone is happy because they get their share of computer time, especially those who are ten plus – they can do their school projects. They may have a computer at home but with four children in the home, they don’t get a chance.’ She adds that this is a source of pride for the children. ‘They come from very deprived communities, they get their own laptop, they can manage it and do their research. If you give them paper they think it’s boring.’ Another example is the River Dee Community Church in Flint, north Wales which received almost £55,000 at the end of 2006. The church was able to buy £11,000 of hardware including six laptops, six PCs, digital cameras and a digital projector. It also enabled it to employ two part-time staff, a mentor trainer and a development outreach worker. The results include a lively Saturday night youth club where the digital projector is used in karaoke sessions, a migrant drop-in centre every Friday where people can download forms from the government portal Directgov, and a satellite programme of ICT centres in the community rooms of residential blocks for older people. digital inclusion Communities@One is hailed as a devolved government success story, showing what can happen when a government is close to its people. An independent evaluation said the money was getting to the right people to do the things that they wanted to do, or in Mr Burge’s words, ‘engaging them with the technology, getting their interest’. The first round was jointly funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and the European Regional Development Fund. More or less all the grant funding was allocated by December 2007 and the funding ends in June. The expectation is that further European funds will be allocated to a new phase of the project. If they are, it is hoped it will come on stream by the beginning of July at the latest. The success of the new fund will be measured against the Lisbon agenda, which aims to give the European Union a more competitive knowledgebased economy. In order to deliver on Lisbon, projects will get a much bigger package of support from Communities@One, not just money. So many innovative programmes prove themselves only to fizzle out once their original funding is exhausted. But Communities@One looks set to build on the momentum of its technological revolution. 8find out more For further information on the programme go to www.communitiesatone.org or call 029 2055 6190. Gateway Gardens Trust: www. gatewaygardenstrust.org Community radio project, Rhondda Cynon Taff: www.rhysradio.co.uk To find out more about individual projects call Mark Smith on 029 2055 6950 or email mark.smith@ walescoop.com Community radio project, Rhondda Cynon Taff The example given by everyone involved is pigeon fanciers in south Wales, who received a tiny grant of £1,742. Mr Andrews explains: ‘The pigeon fanciers did all their work in paper and pen. In England it’s all done by email. So we gave a grant to pigeon racers and now they’re all online.’ All the projects are in Communities First areas – the 142 wards on the Welsh multiple index or deprivation. This isn’t a programme weighed down by targets, but the anecdotal evidence from individuals and communities of its impact is overwhelmingly positive. An example is Menfa – Mentoring for All – is based in Butetown, Cardiff which provides mentoring for people of all ages from disadvantaged backgrounds. Menfa runs My Club every Saturday for young people between six and 16. Mentoring is provided to help the children with their studies. A £9,000 grant has allowed My Club to provide a much higher standard of ICT than it did before in the form of five new laptops. www.newstartmag.co.uk The project wanted to create a community station part can’t quite believe it’s a real station and that was as ‘big-sounding, slick and professional’ they’re the ones presenting. They will talk to as possible. ‘Computers enable us to do this,’ says people who heard them, who say “I love your project manager Andrew Jones. show”.’ The three studios set up by the project with The station effectively gets the community to £270,000 from Communities@One are entirely have a conversation with itself. ‘People hear local run by local people. Their output is ‘very Radio 2’ people that they know, they come in and tell us according to Mr Jones – a mixture of music and about something – an event, an interesting person community-orientated guests and features. that lives on their street – and the next thing He adds: ‘The computer will be the nerve they’re on air,’ says Mr Jones. centre of the studio like any radio station. People And the project is delivering results. ‘There are in the community will do everything. They will be some cases where in particular older people who trained up in IT, and for some this will be the first were afraid of computers have used them through time they’ve been using it in any way.’ the radio station, then made the plunge and taken Like all the Communities@One schemes, the computer courses.’ radio project dispenses this digital education But Mr Jones warns there is a long way to go. informally, and there is ‘Most people we encounter a clear synergy between don’t have broadband, so ICT and wider community how do they take part in regeneration. this digital age? Even more Mr Jones says: ‘We’re startling is the number of now in Treherbert, an old people who don’t have a Valleys mining village. landline – they just have pay It hasn’t got a lot left as you go mobiles – so how now so when we opened do they get broadband? last summer people said ‘We all talk about the they couldn’t believe it, digital switchover and something modern in their inclusion, but for many high street. They’re used to people it’s something they having the neighbourhood couldn’t participate in shops closing. – even if they understood ‘The people who take RCT Radio’s Andrew Jones in action on air the concept.’ new start 14 march 2008 21 Tony Armstrong: bringing a knowledge of how government works to the Living Streets operation profile: tony armstrong The campaign for pedestrian-friendly streets has a new leader – and he’s armed with insider knowledge of government. Tony Armstrong tells Rosie Niven why he’s taken the big step from Whitehall to the voluntary sector The word on the streets I t takes a lot to prise a career civil servant away roads to walk 40 yards. With a little extra thought at then able to tackle the more difficult problems of from Whitehall, but for Tony Armstrong the lure the planning stage, you could easily accommodated worklessness and health.’ of campaign group Living Streets was too great good transport systems and pedestrian-friendly While he admits the NRU didn’t live up to to resist. walkways. Things like that are a missed opportunity.’ expectations in some areas, he believes a lot of good After spending most of his career in several He is a firm believer that streets are better work was done in changing the culture and mindset different government departments, including the designed when local residents are involved. ‘When around regeneration. He is ‘a bit nervous’ about the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit (NRU) when it formed local people aren’t involved, the needs of fast moving new focus on worklessness and fears of a loss of in 2001, Mr Armstrong says he was ready for another transport gets prioritised. One of the most exciting emphasis on community empowerment and holistic challenge. But he admits his move raised eyebrows projects that we are involved at the moments is the regeneration. ‘I’d be a bit worried if that got cut out.’ in some quarters. engaging communities project, which is funded by His views on neighbourhood renewal are partly ‘Some people have said I must be mad leaving my the CLG. We are working in a number of areas of the influenced by a stint in front line regeneration. civil servant’s pension for the voluntary sector. In a northeast to get a sense of how communities are During his time at the NRU he was seconded to way, this is my perfect job because it brings together taking more of a interest in their local environment EB4U, east Brighton’s new deal for communities all those different policy interests that I have.’ and qualifying the impact.’ scheme. He recalls the experience as being a ‘huge In a career that has seen him work on transport Mr Armstrong regards Living Streets’ network eye opener’. issues, neighbourhood renewal and most recently of active local branches as one of its main strengths ‘In government, it’s a cliché that you are in an the government’s strategy for tackling obesity, he and would like to build on it to make sure the ivory tower,’ he says. ‘It does not quite prepare you appears well qualified for the experience of to head up the UK’s working with residents biggest campaign group in a deprived area. We for pedestrians. One were working in an of his priorities will office right on the estate be to get pedestrians’ in Brighton. There were needs higher up the tensions between what government’s agenda. He believes that right now, organisation can articulate the concerns of local residents wanted and what the service providers political opinion is receptive to Living Streets’ people to policymakers. He also hopes to develop wanted, but that worked really well in the Brighton agenda. the organisation’s consultancy services, including NDC area. They respected people’s opinions and ‘What I can bring to this role is the knowledge its community and street audits that are carried out found a common way around problems.’ of how government works,’ he says. ‘The things for local authorities. A recent example of this was a He is sad to see the back of the now defunct NRU that worked for me as a civil servant was making it study for Transport for London of mainline stations where he spent several years of his career and says crystal clear the impact of what you’re proposing to in the capital. it was an exciting place to work in the early years, do on a number of different policy agendas. During his civil service career, he saw how with a lot of the staff brought in from the outside ‘If we as an organisation can demonstrate the improving the physical environment was often who had hands-on experience of neighbourhood impact of involving people in the design of their one of the first steps to regenerating an area. ‘My renewal. He remembers a culture of civil servants streets then the government will listen to the experience of neighbourhood renewal is that in a lot working closely with practitioners and community message because it will help them hit their targets of areas that have multiple deprivation, one of the leaders, which he says made it better connected to on climate change and sustainability.’ first steps is trying to get people back at the heart front line delivery. Another benefit that increasing levels of of their streets. At the NRU, we found that those ‘I think one of the things about the early days walking can bring is improvement to people’s areas that had cracked the local environment were of the NRU was that willingness to take risks and health, he points out. But he argues accept that some things might not there’s little incentive to go out for a work,’ he says. ‘That always becomes walk if the physical environment is a tension when you are using public unpleasant. He sees many example of ■Extending its national Walk to School campaign to cover secondary schools money. The Treasury will never be poor practice, including around the new for the first time relaxed about this, and quite rightly. St Pancras Station. ■A brand new project – Fitter for Walking – that will help local communities in You should never use public money ‘It’s a fantastic building and it was five areas of England improve walking conditions in their local area for things if there’s a good chance you a good opportunity to get walking built ■An increase in regional work, building on its new Living Streets North are going to fail. But I think we got the in. But even around there with the road office in Newcastle balance broadly right.’ layout you’ve got barriers that mean ■Increase in the level of support and resources given to its network of 98 local pedestrians can’t walk across the road. and affiliated groups, involving them more fully in the group’s lobbying work To find out more about the work of Living You have to walk across three different Streets go to www.livingstreets.org.uk ‘At the NRU, we found that those areas that had cracked the local environment were then able to tackle the more difficult problems of worklessness and health.’ Tony Armstrong, Living Streets Living Streets priorities for 2008 www.newstartmag.co.uk new start 14 MARCH 2008 23 events Community Transport Association roadshow March - April Venue: various Details: www.ctauk.org Aspects of leadership Apse course Venue: Birmingham 28 March Details: www.apse.org.uk Energy performance certificates Asset Skills/ DCLG Venue: various March – May Details: epbd@ assetskills.org, tel 0845 678 2888 CIH Cymru annual conference Venue: Cardiff 1-3 April Details: www.cih.org How housing associations can contribute to financial inclusion Scottish Centre for Regeneration conference Venue: Glasgow 20 March Details: www.scr. communitiesscotland. gov.uk Training for third sector advisers Social Enterprise Works course Venue: London 26 March Details: www. socialenterpriseworks. org Housing misfortunes Homeless International annual spring ball Venue: London 8 April Details: www.homelessinternational.org How to engage the community Cles course Venue: Manchester 8 April Details: www.cles.org. uk/events Conflict resolution Leeds Voice event Don’t miss out Community cohesion and empowerment This UK Public Health Association annual forum will discuss issues like innovation and excellence in tackling health inequalities, promoting wellbeing in BME communities, and preventing alcohol and drug misuse. There will also be sessions on the role of local government in improving people’s quality of life and engaging communities in nutritional eating programmes. Speakers include Gabriel Scally, regional director of public health at the Department of Health. Venue: Liverpool, 1-2 April Details: www.ukphaconference.org.uk Venue: Leeds 14 April Details: www. leedsvoice.org.uk Regional places, local spaces RTPI conference Venue: Cambridge 14-15 April Details: emma.tozer @rtpi.org.uk, tel 020 7929 9489/9494 Using evidence in policy and project development Cles course Venue: Newcastle 15 April Details: www.cles.org.uk Nature in the city Green Space conference Venue: London 15 April Details: www.greenspace.org.uk The winds of change conference London Property Forum 17 April Venue: London Details: www.london propertyforum.com International tax and economic welfare ETPF/ IFS conference Venue: London 21 April Details: www.ifs.org.uk Are our young people ready for work? Edas conference Venue: Glasgow 23 April Details: www.edascot. org.uk National digital inclusion conference Civil Conferences event Venue: London 29 April Details: www. civicconferences.co.uk Promote your event on our website at: www.newstartmag.co.uk/events Please send details of your events to [email protected]. We may be able to send you free copies of New Start to give out to your conference delegates. Email: [email protected] for details. Many event organisers promote their events by advertising or inserting leaflets in New Start, or with a logo or banner on our website. These options can help you make an impact and attract more delegates. Rates are very cost effective. For details email: [email protected] or call 0114 281 6130. The future of the city Gloucester Heritage urc regeneration showcase Venue: Gloucester 30 April – 3 May Details: www. gloucesterurc.co.uk Intercultural cities Euclid and Comedia conference Venue: Liverpool 1-3 May Details: http://inter. culture.info/icc The future of procurement: sustainable efficiency PFH annual conference Venue: Birmingham 13 May Details: www. procurementforhousing. co.uk, info@ procurementforhousing. co.uk Mitigating and adapting to climate change LGC/ NLGN conference Venue: London 13 May Details: www. lgcandnlgnclimatechange.co.uk 18th March 2008 Ensure your organisation has the time develop and New Century House improve the prospects of those you engage with. Manchester OOK \\ B O T E C CHAN T S A L \ \ BOOK O T E C N A ST CH A L \ \ K O O BO T E C N A H C www.succession-conference.co.uk 24 14 march 2008 new start www.newstartmag.co.uk 16th UKPHA Annual Public Health Forum Join us at the UK’s largest multi-disciplinary conference on public health COMMUNITY COHESION AND EMPOWERMENT Championing the social, cultural, economic and environmental determinants of health 1st and 2nd April 2008 Liverpool Arena and Convention Centre For more information and to register visit the conference website: www.ukphaconference.org.uk www.ukpha.org.uk • Plenary sessions on all the big issues • Debates on key controversies • Presentation of up to 300 papers and workshops on major themes and topics Conference secretariat: T: 0191 241 4523 E: [email protected] • Featured poster session • Major exhibition • Unbeatable networking opportunities • Offsite visits to leading public health initiatives in Liverpool SWITCH ON YOUR BRAIN... UNLEASH YOUR POTENTIAL... BUILD NEW NETWORKS... EXPLORE UNEXPECTED POSSIBILITIES... COME TO WIGAN AND LEIGH EXTREME! WHAT? WHEN? WHERE? WHO IS IT FOR? WHAT DOES IT COST? TELL ME MORE! Wigan and Leigh Extreme is a unique event for social enterprises, local people, public agencies and their partners. Find out how new networks built on trust and understanding can develop enterprise in communities and promote working neighbourhoods. The national conference is on 18 and 19 March 2008. Experienced speakers and facilitators will take you through key aspects of creating local enterprise - from the policy context through to the personal implications, from creative skills through to financial survival. The conference will be held at the Waterside Conference Centre, Wigan (WN3 5BA), which is one of the most attractive venues in the northwest, beside the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. Public organisations or private companies: £150 Call Carol Williams on: 01942 209122 07983 709745 Wigan and Leigh Extreme is a week-long school for social enterprises and their partners, with workshops, advice surgeries and a two-day national conference on community action. Speakers already confirmed include Toby Blume, chief executive, Urban Forum; Geraldine Blake, Community Links; and Professor Carolyn Kagan, Manchester Metropolitan University. If you’re interested in neighbourhoods that work better, new opportunities for local people, promoting social enterprises or just making your community a better place, this event is for you! The key theme is about how reflection and transformation can lead to strategy and action. The two-day conference is open to community groups, voluntary organisations, public agencies and their partners nationwide. For full details watch out for updates at wiganextreme.co.uk Organised by www.newstartmag.co.uk Supported by Voluntary and community organisations: £75 Bursaries are available - please ask for details Or email: [email protected] 18th - 19th March 2008 Waterside Conference Centre, Wigan www.wiganextreme.co.uk Sponsored by new start 14 MARCH 2008 25 recruitment classified Contact us 0114 281 6130 Managing director Jamie Veitch [email protected] Advertising manager Chloe Gray [email protected] Projects manager Ryan May [email protected] Graphic designer Chris Dowson [email protected] The Workstation, Paternoster Row, Sheffield S1 2BX. Tel: 0114 281 6130. Fax: 0114 279 6522. [email protected] Our profession comes out of our own community involvement. Helping to Plan, Develop and Deliver Rural and Coastal Regeneration T: 01904 520109 E: [email protected] W: www.bluefishregen.com Specialists in: Consultancy Training Community Development Projects Now that’s refreshing! 01494 523503 / 07930 208197 offi[email protected] w w w. c o m s u l t . o r g . u k For the complete picture Contact David Gibson 55 Newcastle Rd, Leek, Staffordshire ST13 5RT Email: [email protected] Tel: 07737 115 493 www.pcnregeneration.co.uk Practical Solutions Measurable Impacts Research and Evaluation Strategy Design and Development Project and Programme Management Partnership Development & Management Performance Management interim management cover for temporary & permanent posts community development partnership development feasibility studies community consultation Business and Enterprise Employment and Training Housing and the Environment Community Safety Neighbourhood Services Community Engagement i}>}i >VÕÌÞÊvÊÀÌÃ]Êi`>Ê>`ÊiÃ}ÊÜi`}iÊ>`ÊÃÃÊvÀÊVÕÌÞÊ«À>VÌVi ÊÊ ÕÌÞÊ*À>VÌViÊ Ê ÊÊ,i}iiÀ>ÌÊ Ê*iÀvÀ>ViÊ >V }Ê>`ÊiÌÀ} Ê ÕÌÞÊ>`Ê*>ÀÌV«>ÌÀÞÊÀÌà Õ`>ÌÊi}ÀiiÊÊ9ÕÌ Ê>`Ê ÕÌÞÊ7À - ÀÌÊ ÕÀÃiiÃÊvÀÊ ÌÕ}Ê*ÀviÃÃ>ÊiÛi«iÌÊÊ ÕÌÞÊ,i}iiÀ>Ì Ì>VÌÊvÀ>Ì\Ê>ÀÊ7iLÃÌiÀÊÀÊÀÊ>ÀL>À>Ê>` vw Ì\Êä£ÇnÓÊÓ{ÇÎÊÊi\ÊVÀi>ÌÛiVÕÌiÃJÃÌ>vvð>V°Õ°ÊÊÜÜÜ°ÃÌ>vvð>V°ÕÉÀi}iiÀ>ÌÊ bid writing impact assessment training & mentoring tel: 01874 730 067 mob: 07904 109 277 email: [email protected] www.bgps.co.uk What can we add to your organisation’s potential? Enhanced focus? Better communication? Effective team & partnership working? Achieve the successes you dream of! Contact us today [email protected] 26 14 MARCH 2008 new start www.newstartmag.co.uk recruitment 0114 281 6130 Deputy Director – Social Enterprise and Finance Office of the Third Sector (maternity cover – 6 month fixed term contract with the potential to extend to one year) Whitehall, London Salary c£56k, more may be available for an exceptional candidate The Office of the Third Sector (OTS) was created to help develop an environment that enables the whole of the third sector to thrive and fulfil its potential contribution to society, economy and the environment. The OTS is developing an exciting new agenda that will focus on groundbreaking policies to support the sector in creating a thriving culture of social enterprise, enabling campaigning; strengthening and supporting community action; and transforming the delivery of public services. We are looking for an outstanding individual with exceptional leadership, management, communication and partnership working skills to join our senior management team. You will be working closely with our partners across the third sector, ministers and regional and local government. Importantly you will also play a central role in raising the profile and understanding of social enterprise and the third sector as a whole. We are seeking two experienced and motivated team players to deliver outcomes for a project that strengthens BME voice in Yorkshire & the Humber. The Regional Forum plays a key and expanding role in the region, promoting the influence, contribution and role of the voluntary & community sector. Programme Director BME Project NJC equivalent pt 38-41 (£30,598 - £33,291 per annum) 5% pension contribution, 35 hours per week. The primary focus of this role will be to support a co-ordinated regional voice for the black and minority ethnic (BME) voluntary and community sector (VCS), that speaks for the interests of the BME sector at local and regional levels. This post will be at the forefront of creating a culture and understanding of social enterprise and promoting alternative finance models for the third sector. Policy and Communications Officer BME Project Secondments from existing employers will also be considered. 5% pension contribution, 35 hours per week. For an information pack and application form please email [email protected] quoting reference REC/07/282 or write to: The Recruitment Team, 4th Floor, 22 Whitehall, London SW1A 2WH. Closing date: 5pm Wednesday 26th March 2008. NJC equivalent pt 35-38 (£28,172 - £30,598 per annum) The primary focus of this role will be to support the BME Panel and to lead on achieving project outcomes as agreed with the Big Lottery. This will include working strategically with sub-regional and local public and voluntary organisations. Application closing date for both posts: 12 noon 2nd April 2008 Interviews: Programme Director - 17th April Policy & Communications Officer - 22nd April Please visit our website for further information including information relating to experience and skills & an application pack for both positions: Internet: www.regionalforum.org.uk/jobs Email: [email protected] Telephone: 0113 394 2300 Address: Suite D10, Joseph’s Well, Hanover Walk, Leeds LS3 1AB The Forum offers excellent holiday and flexible working The Regional Forum is striving to be an equal opportunities employer and is committed to the training and development of employees Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Forum for Voluntary & Community Organisations Registered Charity 1076540 www.newstartmag.co.uk new start 14 MARCH 2008 27 recruitment 0114 281 6130 StepClever - Social Enterprise Stepclever will transform areas of North Liverpool and South Sefton as a place for new business growth and employment creation. It is funded by the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI), a national programme managed by the Department for Communities and Local Government. As part of StepClever, a consortium of provider organisations will be delivering a social enterprise programme. One of these providers, Eldonian Group Ltd, is seeking to appoint a business advisor to deliver social enterprise support. Business Advisor £27K pa, fixed-term contract until 31st March 2010 This is an exciting opportunity to contribute towards the transformation and economic growth of North Liverpool and South Sefton. We are looking for a Business Advisor to deliver business advice, particularly social enterprise. This person will work with potential social entrepreneurs and existing social enterprises in order to create new businesses and assist existing enterprises grow and deliver, thus Need to recruit staff? newstart is tried and tested: 86% of people who have advertised a job in newstart would do so again. 100% said our customer service was either excellent or good. Thank you to all who responded to the recent newstart reader survey and for your helpful comments. creating new employment opportunities in North Liverpool and South Sefton. We are looking for an experienced Business Advisor with an excellent track record and accreditation (eg. SFEDI, IBA, etc or working towards), who will be able to communicate well with clients and has excellent people skills. Knowledge of the social enterprise sector would be invaluable. Hours: 35 per week, with some evening work required Location: North Liverpool, across various venues To apply, ring Ian on 0151 207 5181 or e-mail [email protected] Closing date for applications: 5pm, 28th March 2008. www.stepclever.co.uk “I am freelance and newstart is like having colleagues who keep you informed of what else is going on in Regeneration. It’s easy to read and very informative.” Gill Hutchinson, MAC Associates (Leicester) Limited We randomly selected one of the survey respondents to win a £100 donation which we will make to a charity of their choice. The winner was Ken Barker of South Riverside Community Development Centre. 28 14 MARCH 2008 new start www.newstartmag.co.uk recruitment 0114 281 6130 Bright New Futures Capacity Building Officer Economic Regeneration Officer All Saints and Blakenhall Community Development Economic Well-Being £28,172 - £30,598 £18,907- £30,598 (Career Graded Post) Fixed Term Contract Until 31 March 2011 Ref: RS461 We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated individual to join our Economic Regeneration Team. You will be responsible for analysing economic information and data in order to respond to the employment and skills agenda in the borough. With highly developed communication and partnership working skills, you will help respond to the key issues faced by our strategic partners, with a key focus on areas such as skills and worklessness. You will develop and manage projects that create bespoke support and training interventions that lead individuals into employment opportunities. A background in economic development or regeneration project management is essential with a sound understanding of the key principles affecting economic and social regeneration. This is a two year permanent contract, subject to funding after 2 years. For an informal discussion please contact Jane Kaur-Gill, Team Leader (Economic Well-Being) on 01922 652573 or Louise Powell, Regeneration Manager (Economic) on 01922 652571. To apply visit www.walsall.gov.uk/jobshop Telephone 01922 653377 Textphone 0845 1112910 Quote job title and reference. CVs not accepted. Closing date: 28 March 2008. Interview date: 15 April 2008. The Authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Working towards quality through equality Job Ref: REC02077R All Saints and Blakenhall Community Development is a vibrant community based organisation leading the regeneration of All Saints, Blakenhall and Parkfield through a long-term commitment to deliver real change with a vision that: “The ABCD community will be cohesive and will be active in the issues that affect local residents. Local people will be empowered to influence the services in the area in which they live and work”. We recognise that the development of strong community engagement is critical to the future sustainability of the ABCD community by: � Influencing Service Delivery � Strengthening Governance � Building Social Inclusion and Cohesion � Building Social Capital � Strengthening Networks We are seeking a key post to our Community Regeneration Team and you could play a pivotal role in supporting a programme-wide approach to building community capacity and cohesion. You will strengthen social capital through the effective growth of the local voluntary and community sector, working with such key partners as WVSC and WNC, through the provision of appropriate training and capacity building opportunities to strengthen our community infrastructure. You will be a proven practitioner in capacity building with experience of governance and funding strategies. For more information please contact Jas Kaur on (01902) 556747. To apply, call Regeneration and Environment on (01902) 555414 (24 hour answering service, please quote job reference) or e-mail [email protected] Minicom users should call (01902) 554086 CLOSING DATE 26 MARCH 2008 INTERVIEWS 8 APRIL 2008 Most posts within the Council are subject to review under the Single Status agreement (Teachers are excluded). Further details are given in application packs. www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/jobs www.walsall.gov.uk/jobshop Do you need to change the recipient name or delivery address for your copy of newstart? Or arrange a new subscription for yourself or a colleague? Call our hotline between 9.00am and 6.00pm for any subscription enquiry: 0845 643 1202 You can update your subscription details at any time by visiting www.newstartmag.co.uk/update www.newstartmag.co.uk 0845 11x3.indd 1 12/03/20082008 17:54:58 29 new start 14 MARCH recruitment 0114 281 6130 Develop your career "UILDYOURTEAM 8KI?D;II;DJ;HFH?I;C7D7=;H¸F<? ;nY[bb[djIWbWho"8edkifbki8[d[Åji IWb["=h[Wj[hCWdY^[ij[h Balfour Beatty Capital’s Transform Schools business is at the forefront of the Government’s Building Schools for the Future programme, delivering large projects which design, build, finance and maintain schools. The portfolio currently includes over 170 schools and is growing. Schools sit at the heart of communities and opportunities exist to utilise them for other social enterprises while generating additional revenues. We now seek an experienced regeneration professional to maximise the potential of these revenues and to identify other regeneration initiatives that strategically link with BSF projects. You will develop a strategy, business plan and work plans alongside the current project teams including project specific activity which will ensure that existing contracts are protected and strengthened while identifying and addressing new enterprise opportunities within them. Working in close partnership with the teams, local authorities and other relevant bodies you will develop a recognised expertise in the market and ensure a best practice model is rolled out across all contracts. In addition to regeneration experience, you will have a strong commercial focus and a talent for developing innovative and effective business plans in either a social enterprise environment or one with demonstrably transferable skills. With experience of leading private/public sector partnerships you will also have the credibility and approach to make an impact from negotiation through to contract implementation. Your communication skills will be tested in many environments as you work across the existing estate and assist on the wider potential within ongoing bids. In short, you will drive all activity in this market, ensuring its effective and profitable incorporation into Balfour Beatty Capital’s offering. For an informal and confidential conversation about the opportunity, call Gareth Davies on 0870 165 4242. For an information pack and for application instructions, please visit www.veredus.co.uk click on ‘Search for a job’ and enter reference 6550. All applications should be emailed to [email protected] Widely acknowledged as one of the UK’s leading recruitment and training providers The Synergy Group have been supplying the highest quality service to both the public and private sectors since 1997. Using extensive industry knowledge and recruitment expertise our dedicated Regeneration & Development team provide a professional and reliable service that is tailored to both our clients and candidates needs. As a client you can be assured that you will receive a professional, knowledgeable and high quality service with access to our extensive candidate database. As a candidate, we guarantee you the highest level of support in order to find you the ideal role, in areas including: Reminder! There will be no issue of New Start Magazine published on the 21st March! New Start will be out again on the 28th March, when normal weekly publication resumes. s(OUSING$EVELOPMENT s5RBAN2EGENERATION s#OMMUNITY$EVELOPMENT s%CONOMIC$EVELOPMENT s0ROJECT-ANAGEMENT s9OUTHAND%DUCATION s#OMMUNITY3AFETY s%MPLOYMENTAND4RAINING s"USINESS!DVICE s%5OTHERGOVERNMENTFUNDED initiatives We currently have a number of exciting opportunities including: !FFORDABLE(OUSING$EVELOPMENT/FlCER £30,000 + bonus and car REF Permanent Required by an Oxford based private organisation to join their affordable housing team. You will be required to assist in winning business, completing tender bids, producing proposals and making presentations. )MPLEMENTATION0LAN-ANAGER £400-£500 per day REF Up to 6 months Required by a Partnership based in Cambridgeshire to take a leadership role within a small team to develop the JIP delivery plan. Whether you are looking for your next role, looking to recruit experienced new staff or simply require further information, please contact Lucy Collins on 020 7556 1145 or email [email protected] ADV1620 POSITI PEO PL E T ABOU VE 30 14 MARCH 2008 new start D DI SABLE www.newstartmag.co.uk newstart magazine - the latest news and what it means to you, every week. d[mjkXik --F]jq]nu.,,4xRkhqia-,Jk0-2xsss*jasop]npi]c*_k*qg -1Ba^nq]nu.,,4xRkhqia-,Jk0.-xsss*jasop]npi]c*_k*qg Ejbkniejc]j`ejolenejclaklhasdki]ga]`ebbanaj_asdanaepi]ppano d[mjkXik >as]nakb -4F]jq]nu.,,4xRkhqia-,Jk0-3xsss*jasop]npi]c*_k*qg Ejbkniejc]j`ejolenejclaklhasdki]ga]`ebbanaj_asdanaepi]ppano d[mjkXik d[mjkXik @frq D]llu+O]` .1F]jq]nu.,,4xRkhqia-,Jk0-4xsss*jasop]npi]c*_k*qg Ejbkniejc]j`ejolenejclaklhasdki]ga]`ebbanaj_asdanaepi]ppano 4Ba^nq]nu.,,4xRkhqia-,Jk0.,xsss*jasop]npi]c*_k*qg Ejbkniejc]j`ejolenejclaklhasdki]ga]`ebbanaj_asdanaepi]ppano eiep]pekjo Ejbkniejc]j`ejolenejclaklhasdki]ga]`ebbanaj_asdanaepi]ppano ?]jukqpahhÏlq^he_ oa_pknok_e]hajpanlneoaÐ bnkipdana]hpdejc; Jas sknh` kn`an Sduejpan_qhpqn]heoieokqn l]oolknppk]^necdpanbqpqna K__ql]pekj]hd]v]n`o Sehhpdaskngejcjaecd^kqndkk`obqj`ha]ra l]op]_dearaiajpo`]jchejc^u]pdna]`; EpÐojkpfqoppdabkkp^]hh sknh`pd]p_kiao^]_g pkpdao]iaokhqpekjo Dks`kaopdaskngejcjaecd^kqndkk`obqj`i]gaukqbaah; Is this your own copy of newstart magazine? If not visit www.newstartmag.co.uk/6weektrial newstart magazine - the latest news and what it means to you, every week. d[mjkXik --F]jq]nu.,,4xRkhqia-,Jk0-2xsss*jasop]npi]c*_k*qg -1Ba^nq]nu.,,4xRkhqia-,Jk0.-xsss*jasop]npi]c*_k*qg Ejbkniejc]j`ejolenejclaklhasdki]ga]`ebbanaj_asdanaepi]ppano d[mjkXik >as]nakb -4F]jq]nu.,,4xRkhqia-,Jk0-3xsss*jasop]npi]c*_k*qg Ejbkniejc]j`ejolenejclaklhasdki]ga]`ebbanaj_asdanaepi]ppano d[mjkXik d[mjkXik @frq D]llu+O]` .1F]jq]nu.,,4xRkhqia-,Jk0-4xsss*jasop]npi]c*_k*qg Ejbkniejc]j`ejolenejclaklhasdki]ga]`ebbanaj_asdanaepi]ppano 4Ba^nq]nu.,,4xRkhqia-,Jk0.,xsss*jasop]npi]c*_k*qg Ejbkniejc]j`ejolenejclaklhasdki]ga]`ebbanaj_asdanaepi]ppano eiep]pekjo Ejbkniejc]j`ejolenejclaklhasdki]ga]`ebbanaj_asdanaepi]ppano ?]jukqpahhÏlq^he_ oa_pknok_e]hajpanlneoaÐ bnkipdana]hpdejc; Jas sknh` kn`an Sduejpan_qhpqn]heoieokqn l]oolknppk]^necdpanbqpqna K__ql]pekj]hd]v]n`o Sehhpdaskngejcjaecd^kqndkk`obqj`ha]ra l]op]_dearaiajpo`]jchejc^u]pdna]`; EpÐojkpfqoppdabkkp^]hh sknh`pd]p_kiao^]_g pkpdao]iaokhqpekjo Dks`kaopdaskngejcjaecd^kqndkk`obqj`i]gaukqbaah; Is this your own copy of newstart magazine? If not visit www.newstartmag.co.uk/6weektrial