Local Visions and delivering local wellbeing outcomes
Proposition
Localism could provide great opportunities for community leadership to create positive and innovative plans for the quality of life in 'their place'. It could equally run the risk of opening up significant inequalities between individuals and places without sensible checks and balances.
A simple 'test', linked to the 2010 Equalities Act, could ensure fair access to community budgets and effective accountability for the use of pubic money between different levels of government and between different communities and places
Key points
The Coalition Government’s approach to localism is a hands-off one. While this allows for flexibility in approach, the absence of appropriate checks and balances could lead to greater inequalities between individuals and places.
Reducing top-down prescription has created more space for local people and communities to become more directly involved with the development of places, and with bringing about change to improve people’s lives. It is believed that experiencing such a level of empowerment, and owning the results of their own hard work and positive social behaviour will foster a greater level of aspiration and ambition, leading to lower unemployment and crime, and contributing in many ways to well-being.
However, not all communities or individuals will be able to enjoy such levels of empowerment unassisted. As the Government reduces capital investment on welfare benefits, social housing, regeneration and renewal, how will well-being outcomes be enhanced in the most deprived areas? What local visions are possible for people who cannot find work or who live in housing which has negative value or high investment need?
The 'Small State' may challenge those who are or have been less willing to contribute – but there is also a risk for those who are less powerful or who are constrained by a continuing mismatch between what the market can offer and what they can afford. This leaves the door open for active, educated citizens to take up the reins, but there is a danger that weaker voices will not get heard. Sustainable Community Strategies and Neighbourhood Plans must offer something for everybody.
The new neighbourhood planning forums, processes and plans should be subject to two requirements, in order to reduce the potential for inequalities to emerge:
- First, they should be required to embrace and respond to representations relating to future ambitions, aspirations and needs coming from all local groups.
- Second, they should be subject to equalities legislation, with an explicit link being made within the Localism Bill to the Equality Act 2010. Access to all community budgets should be conditional on meeting these requirements.
This would help to ensure that people and places are not forgotten, and that resources are targeted where they are most needed.
Case Studies
Sheffield Homes: Enabling everybody to have a voice
ALMO Sheffield Homes and Sheffield City Council are showing a real commitment to making sure that tenants and residents can voice their views directly, both locally and nationally. They are collaborating in responding to the governments White Paper Local Decisions: A Fairer Future for Social Housing.
Sheffield Homes, with the Council's involvement, has worked with tenants and residents to produce a short video presentation to send to government as part of the response to the White Paper. The video is available on YouTube here.
Sheffield Homes' formal written response is accompanied by a statement from tenants and notes of the consultation. The government can clearly see how tenants' views have influenced both Sheffield Homes and the Council, and can be assured that they are hearing tenants and residents directly.
It will be interesting to see how much government is influenced by this opportunity to listen to people at local level.
Southgate Totnes, Devon: a community inspired scheme with a real mix
In Totnes, the local authority of South Hams has led the way in promoting 53 high quality homes to widen the choice for local people in a town that is a hotspot for second homes. After a rejection of the original proposals for a site near the town centre, a partnership was set up with community inputs.
Key messages
National Politicians
Require neighbourhood forums to embrace and respond to representations relating to future ambitions, aspirations and needs coming from all local groups.
Require the process of neighbourhood planning to be subject to the Equality Act 2010,
Local Politicians
Ensure that your local visions, whether neighbourhood plans, sustainable community strategies, are generated with input from all sections of the community and meet equalities requirements.
Local people
Get involved: demand representation.
HCA and Local Authority Housing Commissioners
Foster and encourage grass-roots housing providers that involve citizens in design, construction and management of their homes, including community land trusts and cooperatives.
Broker relationships between these organisations and local authorities.
Planners
Create the space for all citizens to be involved in neighbourhood planning, and supporting participatory democracy.
Housing Providers
Support smaller, more citizen-based models of affordable housing delivery, including other organisations that can deliver this better than you can