Model agreements in place- keeping of open spaces examples from MP4 European Union European Regional Development Fund Dr Marcia Pereira & Dr Harry Smith

Green Work(s!) ConferenceBrugge12-13 October 2010 Structure MP4 project Model agreements Four model agreements: Emmen Hamburg Steilshoop Sheffield VLM Workshop discussion & conclusions

Green Work(s!) ConferenceBrugge12-13 October 2010 MP4 Project Making Places Profitable – Public and Private open spaces AIM: to demonstrate how open space improvements offer positive socio-economic benefits, and how the benefits offered to key communities can be maintained in the long run (place- keeping). supported by Interreg IVB North Sea Region European funding four local authorities/public bodies (Emmen, Flemish Land Agency, Gothenburg, Sheffield) one charitable foundation (Lawaetz Foundation DE) four universities (HCU, HWU, UoC, UoS)

Green Work(s!) ConferenceBrugge12-13 October 2010 Model Agreements MP4 Project Objectives Assess existing transnational experiences with place-keeping – literature review & case studies Produce model agreements for sustainable partnerships and develop innovations in place- keeping Implement, promote and test place-keeping models transnationally Monitor and evaluate socio-economic impacts Develop place-keeping policies and mainstream best practice

Green Work(s!) ConferenceBrugge12-13 October 2010 Model Agreements Model agreements for place-keeping are understood here in a broad way - not necessarily only as legal written documents signed by a number of parties – they may range from formal documents to tacit arrangements. Green Work(s!) ConferenceBrugge12-13 October 2010

Green Work(s!) ConferenceBrugge12-13 October 2010 Emmen Emmen Revisited (ER) is an organisation established by Emmen Municipality (Netherlands) in Objective: ER initiates urban and village renewal projects. Main objective: improvement of social & living environment. Collaboration: ER manages the collaboration between municipality, housing corporations and local residents groups in undertaking such projects – and has inputs from other organisations. Process: the ER process has focused mainly on place-making, and is now actively exploring its application to place-keeping.

Green Work(s!) ConferenceBrugge12-13 October 2010 Emmen Revisited (ER) Model – Municipality of Emmen Netherlands Urban renewal projects, including open space improvement – e.g. paving and landscaping – through community involvement & partnership Purpose of PK: focus to date mainly on place-making, currently exploring scope for extending process to place- keeping – e.g. maintenance of open spaces ActorsPlace-MakingPlace-KeepingMonitoringRedress Emmen Municipality Legally responsible for public space. Formally signs up to area programme Emmen RevisitedInitiatesPermanent District Team (1 from each organisation area volunteers) meets regularly. Formally signs up to programme for area. Monitors implementation & management of area programme. District Team asks ER to intervene if place-keeping responsibilities not met Housing Corporations Responsible for houses & adjoining footpaths, gardens. Formally signs up to programme for area. Social Work Police ResidentsConvenes time-limited District Platform as local consultation body for preparation of area programme (20-25 people inc. orgs. + residents). Other stakeholders: Province; Water Board; NGOs; private owners; businesses. Various responsibilities for maintenance of: roads; waterways; landscape & nature; gardens & farmland; business premises.

Hamburg Steilshoop Steilshoop: housing estate built between 1969 and 1975 (75% subsidised housing). 14,300 inhabitants live in 6,380 flats in 21 large blocks with a shopping centre in the centre – Now land & property heterogeneous ownership (~30% private, ~20% public, ~50% various cooperative associations) Neighbourhood Improvement District (NID): Proprietors in the area are working jointly on the development and implementation of a Neighbourhood Improvement District (NID) in Steilshoop. Difficulties due to present legislation: Hamburg street cleaning law – responsibility of Sanitation Department. Informal organisation: task force with all partners: identification of problems & solutions - partnership. Aim: joint cleaning and maintenance activities in the central pedestrian zone.(approx. 1,600 m long - ~60% public and ~40%private ownership) Green Work(s!) ConferenceBrugge12-13 October 2010

Green Work(s!) ConferenceBrugge12-13 October 2010 Hamburg Steeilshoop Model Purpose of Place-Keeping: informal coordination of cleaning and maintenance of public and private open spaces in the central pedestrian zone of the Steilshoop estate. ActorsPlace-Keeping (management plan)MonitoringRedress Public Sanitation Department Hamburg (SRH) Initiated process with support from NID SG Coordination & large manpower input on cleaning activities "on the ground". Payment of Kuemmerer. Provided regular updates to NID SC Not formal nor informal Housing Companies / Proprietors – private, public & cooperatives Agreed aims and requested support (work) from their contractors and in- house services. Administrative support & funding. Service companiesResponsible for work on the ground, e.g. gardening and cleaning of private open space. Some work on public space on request of the contractors. District Council Wandsbek - management of open spaces Followed the process and supported with information Ministry of Urban Development and the Environment (BSU) Hamburg Support the process to set up a NID in Steilshoop Funded minor physical improvements (programme "Lebenswerte Stadt ). Paid the Kümmerer for the first two years ( ) Neighbourhood Improvement District (NID) Steering Committee (SC) Supported the whole process and requested initiation of activites Support, making available the participation of their inhouse or external service deliverers. Informal via discussion in the NID SC & joint evaluation report for the first 18 months

Sheffield – Firth Park Firth Park: one of Sheffields oldest and most historic parks – a City Park & City Heritage Site, but also a community park (15.2 Ha). Features: park landscape, ancient woodland, recreation facilities, community buildings and listed Clock Tower. Friends of groups: long tradition of Sheffield City Council(SCC) working with Friends of groups to deliver place- keeping activities in parks and open spaces. Friends of Firth Park (FoFP): established in 1999 by community. Involved in reversal of parks decline and ongoing place-keeping. Green Work(s!) ConferenceBrugge12-13 October 2010

Green Work(s!) ConferenceBrugge12-13 October 2010 Friends of Model – Friends of Firth Park (FoFP), Sheffield Community-based voluntary organisation involved in place-keeping of Firth Park in partnership with SCC Purpose of PK: maintenance & management of open space and facilities ActorsPlace- Making Place-KeepingMonitoringRedress SCC Parks & Countryside Service Landowner & responsible for park management. SCC Parks Section Any initiate Onsite maintenance & management staff. Staff & Parks Officer liaise with FoFP Progress on ideas & issues may be raised via different routes. Loss of Green Flag status. Report to Councillors SCC Policy & Projects Section Park improvement & development. Regeneration Officer liaises with FoFP projects Progress monitored via Regeneration Officer reports to FoFP. Loss of project budget. Report to Councillors. SCC Community Services Section Support & guidance to FoFP in delivering activities & events. Reports to FoFP meetings & to funder SCC Trees & Woodlands Section Responsible for woodlands. May attend FoFP meetings. Reports to FoFP meetings & to funder for specific projects. Friends of Firth Park Monthly meeting & lobbies for park users. Specific responsibilities in projects. Informal responsibility for general management monitoring, also via reports to FoFP. Formal reporting to funders of specific projects. Loss of project budget.

Flemish Land Agency VLM VLM: part of the pool of organisations working within the Environment, Nature and Energy policy area of the Flemish Government. Responsible for the organisation and management of open space as well as for shaping rural policy within the rural and peri-urban areas in Flanders. Partnerships: some of the main stakeholders are the Agency for Nature and Forestry, Regional Landscape organisations as well as farmers and municipalities. Four models: Land Consolidation projects - improvement of farming through consolidation of land parcels; Land Development projects Land Development for Nature projects: development/conservation of natural areas (within limitations in rural areas) Agro-environmental management agreements: with farmers, allowing organisation of environmental & landscaping measures (EU agreement programme pillar 21). allow VLM to organize environmental and landscape measures on farmers land. These agreements are based on the EU agreement program pillar 22 Green Work(s!) ConferenceBrugge12-13 October 2010

Green Work(s!) ConferenceBrugge12-13 October 2010 VLM Model – Land Development Projects Development of open spaces for recreation, landscape, agriculture, environmental issues, etc. Purpose of PK: general maintenace e.g. grass/tree cutting, mowing verges, etc ActorsPlace-MakingPlace-Keeping (management plan) MonitoringRedress VLMSets up Steering Committee; leads plan preparation; provides subsidies Responsible for maintenace first 2-3 years (often sub-contracted to RL). Agreement w/ landowners next 20 years. Visits owners 2-3 years later. Monitors via Maintenance Filling Card. Often subcontracts monitoring Execution of management plan not legally enforceable. Ministry Env.Nat.Energy Provides capital investment Provincial Gov. State sector agencies take ownership of infrastructure management/maintenance from VLM. Voluntary agreement for maintenance subsidy. Organised w/other organisations(e.g.NGOs, farmers, RL) via contract. Municipality Other state sector agents Regional Landscape Provides maintenance via contract (w/ private&public org.) - also education, training, liaison w/volunteers. Private landowners, farmers Provide land & capital investment if measureso on their prorperties. Maybe required to pay back capital investments subsidies if PK responsibilites not met. initiates requires

Workshop Group discussion – 1 model per group (15') – SWOT analysis – Relation to own context: lessons from examples and for examples. Reporting (10') Green Work(s!) ConferenceBrugge12-13 October 2010

Green Work(s!) ConferenceBrugge12-13 October 2010 Thank You MP4 HWU Team: Dr Harry Smith Dr Marcia Pereira Prof Glen Bramley Dr Caroline Brown Dr Scott Fernie Marilyn Higgins Dr Alicia Montarzino