Big Society ideal should follow real life examples
A think tank has used two regeneration success stories to come up with a series of recommendations – including introducing ‘micro mayors’ – for wannabe Big Society communities to learn from.
Following the lead of Castle Vale and Balsall Heath as ‘examples of community regeneration, collective efficacy and civic re-engagement’ could help ‘inject some gritty realism into the Big Society narrative’, according to research into the two Birmingham estates by Demos.
Civic streets – the Big Society in action said Castle Vale had previously been a ‘dumping ground for problem tenants’, whereas Balsall Heath was infamous as the city’s red light district.
Castle Vale’s methods – which included establishing a housing association with power and responsibility devolved to local people – helped to lower crime levels, demolish and rebuild 2,275 houses and address health and unemployment concerns.
Balsall Heath’s neighbourhood and health forums contributed to a major reduction in traffic on a notorious street known for its kerb-crawlers, while litter and graffiti measures helped the area eventually take a Britain in Bloom title.
Stressing the need for government to ensure investment in communities reflects the long-term nature of regeneration, the study says: ‘One of the reasons that we are able to look at Castle Vale or Balsall Heath and see success is because they have been part of a process of regeneration that spans two decades.’
Recommendations include:
- Introducing endowment funds in the form of a ‘collective savings account’ to create a long-term funding stream overseen by local people
- Ending ‘brand deserts’ – ‘not all corporations are evil’, argues Demos, and a sense of satisfaction can spring from being presented with aspirational brands
- Introducing ‘micro mayors’ to work on neighbourhood level issues such as antisocial behaviour to create a ‘more genuinely “local” strata of local government in communities struggling to regenerate and renew themselves’
- Declaring independence – local groups should have a right to bid to run services such as Sure Start and parks and environmental services
-
Introduce ‘community cash back’ so that, where savings for the state can be demonstrated, a percentage can be retained for community use
by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
