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Last updated: 08 December 2009
Improving The Prospects Of People Living In Areas Of Multiple Deprivation In England The National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal represents a significant step forward in regeneration. A range of programmes have been established to realise the strategy and significant resources have been committed to generic regeneration programmes.
The Strategy Unit (SU) and Neighbourhood Renewal Unit (NRU) have identified the key elements of a successful approach - in particular clear goals and a robust strategy to deliver these goals. To support the strategy there needs to be a range of effective practical measures focussing on public services, the physical environment and quality of life, and economic development. The SU and NRU have examined each of these components of a successful approach against the National Strategy and its implementation.
The National Strategy provided a clear focus on neighbourhood renewal and set out ambitious goals. However, this clear focus may now require greater emphasis across government. Clarity is also needed about the role of different tiers of government in setting goals for areas. Different deprived areas have very different drivers and characteristics and this needs to be reflected in practical and policy measures. The team has developed a typology of deprived areas based on the different characteristics of deprived areas.
The national strategy is the most holistic approach yet taken by a government and the government has made a great deal of progress on many indicators since 1997. However, if we are to be successful in improving outcomes for those living in deprived areas we must pay further attention to the engagement of the private sector and improving the quality of local public space. Understanding that outcomes can be affected by the order in which interventions are introduced is also important - although this was considered in the consultations for the National Strategy, it was de-emphasised in the final report and implementation.
Satisfaction with and access to public services remains lower in deprived areas than in non-deprived areas. Deprived areas continue to present a number of inter-linked challenges for the delivery of public services. The National Strategy highlighted the importance of addressing these problems and new mechanisms, funding and floor targets were introduced to help drive up minimum performance.
Housing dynamics play a key role in regeneration and this needs appropriate emphasis alongside anti-social behaviour and liveability, which are both worse in deprived areas than non-deprived areas, and are crucial drivers of neighbourhood decline. The key role housing and liveability play in the community is something that can be built upon in tackling wider regeneration problems.
Worklessness remains a significant and complex issue in deprived areas. Addressing worklessness requires a range of measures - for example addressing private sector under-investment
In the case of deprived areas, effective delivery requires joined up institutions that address the drivers of deprivation at a number of different spatial levels. Who is best placed to deliver services needs to be clarified - be it mainstream public services or other agencies. These must be part of a simplified delivery chain, with appropriate accountability to local people and the right capacity at all levels. In particular we must address the high levels of bureaucracy driven by proliferation of Area Based Initiatives (ABIs).
A number of strategic questions remain that will help us define a strategy responding to the issues raised above. These are: