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I went to an excellent conference organised by Runnymede Trust last week on financial inclusion and equality, which included a fine array of speakers and delegates from the financial services sector, community finance organisations and equalities groups.
It was interesting to be, unusually for me, surrounded by people interested in …
Posted on Thursday, 29th October 2009 | This entry has 0 comment(s)
I took the now familiar trip to Worthing on Monday, not just to see Dan Thompson from the Revolutionary Arts Group (RAG), but 100 or so of his friends and colleagues who share his impatience with empty shops and the enthusiasm and drive to do something about it.
The …
Posted on Thursday, 22nd October 2009 | This entry has 0 comment(s)
This year has presented tough challenges for firms of all sizes in all industries. There has been an urgent need to adopt a ‘business survival' approach to ensure the recession can be weathered.
But, despite many challenging financial pressures, one plus point for companies in construction and built environment sectors …
Posted on Wednesday, 21st October 2009 | This entry has 0 comment(s)
‘It takes two hands to clap,’ Adrian Webb, chair of the Welsh Employment and Skills board told the audience at last week’s Welfare to Work Wales conference. ‘We need employment and skills systems that work in harmony.’
Despite all the talk of joined up thinking, there are still too few …
Posted on Monday, 19th October 2009 | This entry has 0 comment(s)
Not in my back yard objections have held up a number of new housing developments in the south-east of England, including eco-towns and urban extensions. One recent report (by the TCPA and Price Waterhouse Coopers) suggested Nimbyism was a major reason for the failure of government to deliver its new …
Posted on Thursday, 15th October 2009 | This entry has 0 comment(s)
I spent the end of last week at a conference at Butlin’s in Skegness which, as an academic interested in tourism and regeneration, seemed to me to be the perfect conference destination, despite the jibes of colleagues used to having to make the case for their attendance at conferences in …
Posted on Wednesday, 7th October 2009 | This entry has 2 comment(s)
Reading a short biography of Robert Owen (by Stirling Smith, published by the Co-operative College) recently, a very short passage caught my attention:
‘...at this time great interest in the concept of exclusive trading, that is only shopping with retailers who supported progressive and democratic ideals. The chartists were particularly …
Posted on Monday, 5th October 2009 | This entry has 0 comment(s)
Our tour of Yorkshire last week covered 350 miles of road, seven locations, more than 20 speakers and countless exchanges of opinions and information.
We started with a discussion of how to ensure quality and long-term thinking in an economic climate where short-term results were considered paramount; considered the context …
Posted on Monday, 5th October 2009 | This entry has 0 comment(s)
At the end of Scarborough's Vincent Pier is a sculpture, the Diving Belle. Commissioned by the town's Civic Trust, it stands prominently at the entrance to the harbour and is illuminated at night. Some people hate it.
For some, like Nick Taylor, who manages the town's renaissance programme, …
Posted on Friday, 2nd October 2009 | This entry has 0 comment(s)
Localism needs to recognise that we do need some regional function/element. The regional development agencies and by association the notion of a regional tier of governance have been taking some flak in recent weeks.
It is now clear that both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats believe the …
Posted on Thursday, 1st October 2009 | This entry has 6 comment(s)
I like it - clearly you write from real experience with real people and projects and because of that, the information will be useful to your readers. I’ll keep an eye open for more postings. Good luck! Fi.
Fiona Cattermole on 17th March 2010:
Is regeneration dying or coming of age?
As someone who has working in regeneration for many years, this is common sense to me. For too many years regeneration professionals and local authorities have squeezed money from initiative after initiative, demonised communities, and agreed to deliver change & playing the system to demonstrate change where actually there has …
Incredulous to the ignorance on 17th March 2010:
Is regeneration dying or coming of age?
Hi Martin,
Fair comment, and I agree with your principle but we need to be careful we don’t fall into the old trap of creating more agencies as there are far too many agencies at present. The less is more approach appeals to me right now.
Imelda Havers on 17th March 2010:
Is regeneration dying or coming of age?
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