BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward EMPOWERMENT WHITE PAPER CONFERENCE Michael Ward Chief Executive British Urban Regeneration Association

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 1: Contents BURA The White Paper Asset based development The White Paper in context Case Studies BURA’s research Empowerment: the next steps

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 2: BURA: regeneration’s independent voice VISION Uniting private, public and community sectors to support excellence in regeneration Working to ensure no one is disadvantaged by where they live

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 3: BURA Awards Support excellence in regeneration through three award schemes: Best practice Community inspired regeneration Waterways Community inspired regeneration award – long term database on empowerment

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 4: The White Paper I “We want to shift power, influence and responsibility away from existing centres of power into the hands of communities and individual citizens.” (Executive Summary)

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 5: The White Paper II Chapter 8 “The Government wants to increase the number of people engaged in the running and ownership of local services and assets.” Asset based development Community Land Trusts Community share or bond issues Social enterprise Enable social enterprises to compete for service contracts

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 6: Asset based development I Quirk Review: in 2020, “in every locality a proportion of all public assets are in the ownership or management of sustainable and energetic community organisations.” Proposal for Asset Transfer Unit in CLG Not just local government assets

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 7: Asset based development II Development Trusts: Community owned and led Use self help, trading for social purpose, and ownership of buildings and land, to bring about long term social, economic and environmental benefits in their community

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 8: Asset based development III Development Trusts 2007: 423 trusts Mostly in disadvantaged communities Over £430 million assets in community ownership Supporting 5000 community groups and 4000 businesses

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 9: The White Paper in context Part of a range of initiatives: Community Empowerment Networks Community Anchors …exciting, imaginative, encouraging

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 10: Unanswered questions Will sufficient resources be made available? How does this relate to the Sub National Review of economic development? To what extent is there a cross party consensus on these issues? Is the Government up for “double devolution”?

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 11: Double Devolution? Shifting power downwards, from Whitehall and Westminster down to Town Halls, and from Town Halls to communities and citizens Moving from initiatives to enabling neighbourhoods to take control of their own destinies.

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 12: The truth about community empowerment Empowerment is neither a cheap nor an easy option. We should choose community empowerment: Because we believe it is a better option; Because we believe it can contribute to addressing the crisis in local democracy

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 13: Three case studies Covent Garden Coin Street The Eldonians

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 14: Covent Garden I Late 1960s plans to relocate wholesale fruit and vegetable market GLC planned to demolish market buildings and redevelop with major road building and offices Campaign in opposition by local residents thorough Covent Garden Community Assn Ultimately successful – scrapping of road plans; retention of market buildings

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 15: Covent Garden II

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 16: Coin Street I 13 acres of land on London’s South Bank Old wharfs and warehouses – by 1970s largely derelict Plans for major office developments Opposed by local residents, who argued for social housing and open space Long planning enquiries – in the end both schemes approved

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 17: Coin Street II 1984 : GLC bought site and sold on to Coin St Community Builders 1988: 1 st housing cooperative opens Commercial development of Oxo Tower site 2008 – development still proceeding

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 18: Coin Street III

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 19: Coin Street IV

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 20: The Eldonians I 1978: residents of Eldon Street tenement flats in Liverpool faced with plans to demolish flats and relocate residents; Formed community association to develop new homes on vacant sites, & refurbish some 1920s flats Formed Eldonian Housing Cooperative – largest new build coop in Europe

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 21: The Eldonians II Further developments designed to create an attractive and safe place to live, with good quality urban design: Village hall Care home; Day nursery Sports centre Won BURA award 1996 – and many others since

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 22: The Eldonians III

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 23: The case studies Each one based on a physical project Asset development key to Coin Street and Eldonians Very long time scales: - each of these has already been going more than 30 years - Coin St and Eldonians not finished - importance of longstanding leadership

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 24: The case studies: now Success celebrated – often world wide Supported by all parties Activists recognised in honours lists and with honorary degrees

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 25: The case studies - then Born in conflict Each case grew out of citizens opposing their local authority Need to understand : - that opposition is legitimate in democracy - that institutions that can cope with opposition are legitimate These examples started with awkward, difficult people standing up and asserting themselves

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 26: BURA Research: I Reviewed experience of 55 winners of Community Inspired Regeneration Awards stages of empowerment: * enabling * empowerment

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 27: BURA Research II Enabling: Acquisition of skills Building capacity and confidence Recognizing and pursuing opportunity is a learned skill

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 28: BURA Research III Empowerment: Community organisations empower communities by: Supporting local entrepreneurship Increasing cohesion Establishing and maintaining information networks

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 29: BURA Research IV Excellence in empowerment 4 characteristics: Financial sustainability Accountability Transferability Cohesion

BURAChief ExecutiveMichael Ward 30: Empowerment: the next steps The White Paper is good news. Now we need: Costed plan to achieve Quirk review vision Serious investment in skills & capacity Fewer initiatives, but properly resourced Celebrate and build on success – but learn from failure too