Public opinion is New Start’s forum for discussion. Blog entries are posted by site members from all over the sector, and discussion of the topics presented is encouraged. Becoming a member is completely free and gives you the opportunity to help contribute to the most exciting portal for regeneration, economic development and sustainable communities on the web. Site membership is now open, and you can be registered and begin submitting entries in less than 5 minutes! Just use the links at the top of the page.
At the inaugural ACT conference in Nottingham, over 100 business support professionals from across the country are gathered. Grey-haired men and highlighted-haired women, the average age is around 50. They’ve seen recession before, maybe twice or three times, and have more answers than most to the current predicament.
On the …
Posted on Wednesday, 29th April 2009 | This entry has 7 comment(s)
The chancellor called it efficiency savings while over the weekend David Cameron talked about a future of austerity, but what they were really talking about were massive cuts in public services that will be with us for a long time.
Long after special measure funding initiatives such as the Hardship …
Posted on Tuesday, 28th April 2009 | This entry has 0 comment(s)
We've all seen the headlines in our newspapers.
"Save us from these yobs" seems to be the desperate S.O.S we send to each other on a regular basis. We're all too familiar with the horror stories in the press. They tell us that our country's youth are disaffected, unhelpful, surly and out …
Posted on Sunday, 26th April 2009 | This entry has 0 comment(s)
This is our first blog entry on the New Start website, and I'm delighted to kick things off with some good news.
At the Wales Co-operative Centre, we're excited about being part of a recently-formed consortium that will be delivering a new programme - Communities 2.0 - on behalf of …
Posted on Thursday, 23rd April 2009 | This entry has 0 comment(s)
There has been what I can only describe as a breakdown in communication between the East of England Development Agency (Eeda) and Peterborough Council over plans for a new community centre.
I initially attempted to do a news story on the subject but had to abandon it in the end …
Posted on Tuesday, 21st April 2009 | This entry has 0 comment(s)
Perhaps New Start should offer internships. After all, as a national magazine, a past winner of the publishing industry ‘magazine of the year’ award, and a paragon of quality editorial coverage of the regeneration sector, ours would be a prestigious name on any hip-young-journalistic-gunslinger’s CV.
Yet for some reason I …
Posted on Thursday, 16th April 2009 | This entry has 6 comment(s)
When I do a talk or run a workshop, I introduce myself by talking about my journey from activist to entrepreneur.
It's a neat little phrase which communicates a few important points. I wasn't born on a market stall selling nearly-out-of-date bananas.
In fact I didn't think I'd get involved …
Posted on Thursday, 16th April 2009 | This entry has 0 comment(s)
With many local newspapers having closed over the past year and several others in financial trouble, you could argue that communities will have fewer opportunities in the future for publicity on important local issues.
Local papers have acted as a vital forum over the years in discussing regeneration plans, economic …
Posted on Tuesday, 14th April 2009 | This entry has 0 comment(s)
The UK is fast becoming a nation of FREDs. Forgotten by those in power. Ripped off by taxes and the benefits system. Excluded from opportunities. Debt-ridden because they can't afford to get by.
We're introducing the world to FRED today to symbolise the people in the UK least equipped …
Posted on Wednesday, 8th April 2009 | This entry has 0 comment(s)
A recent feature in New Start magazine highlighted the problems that increasing volumes of journeys by car are causing to our neighbourhoods and profiled ways in which encouraging cycling can perhaps best address this (Driven to the Threshold, New Start, Apr 2009).
As someone who has a concern for the …
Posted on Tuesday, 7th April 2009 | This entry has 1 comment(s)
Interesting to read your discussion paper …
I agree with you about the probable cuts, move to on-line services, etc. But it would be nice to be a bit more specific – areas like affordable housing have risen up the agenda and could well be protected by either new …
Robert Bullard on 8th February 2010:
Austerity in rural England.... any glimmers in the darkness?
At least Heseltine showed some ability to learn from experience while involved in regeneration. He moved deftly from the heavy-handed UDCs to some of the early partnership approaches such as City Challenge. During New Labour we seem to have lost the ability to identify best practice, to apply it consistently …
Nick Bailey on 4th February 2010:
Why Heseltine is wrong man to lead on regeneration
I don’t wish to denigrate the stance taken by the individuals and organisations involved with improving rural communities, but some questions do spring to mind…
Firstly…the use of language is so important to enable participation at all levels, having been involved in community regeneration for almost 15 years, this is …
Bill McCallum on 4th February 2010:
Austerity in rural England.... any glimmers in the darkness?
Please note that these links will take you away from this website and that New Start is not responsible for content of external sites.
