Welfare Reform on the Web (June 2002): Community Regeneration and Development - UK

ASSESSING COMMUNITY STRENGTHS: A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK FOR PLANNING CAPACITY BUILDING

S. Skinner and M. Wilson

London: Community Development Foundation, 2002

Work in inner city Bradford piloted a practical approach to assessing the capacity of communities to take lead roles in regeneration. The "community strengths assessment" approach focuses particularly on local community and voluntary groups. It looks at how they are organised, their aims and needs, existing support and what support they might need in future. The approach involves detailed surveys which provide information leading to recommendations for action.

THE CHOSEN CITY

N. Schoon

London: Spon Press, 2001

This book explores what has gone wrong with our cities and how they might be improved. It discusses the issues of:

• the abandoned city;
• overspill and high rise;
• push and pull factors;
• the Milton Keynes effect;
• education and regeneration;
• the frightened city;
• ideal homes;
• erosion of cities or attrition of cars.

COMMUNITY GROUPS FEAR FUTURE ECONOMIC BIAS OF REGENERATION PLANS

L. Revans

Community Care, Mar. 28^th - Apr. 3^rd 2002, p. 18-19

Community groups have expressed concern over plans to give the London Development Agency responsibility for social as well as economic regeneration.

HOME ZONES: CHILD HEALTH BENEFITS FROM NEIGHBOURHOOD ACTION AND SUBSEQUENT POLICY CHANGE

J. Walker and R. Walker

Child Right, no. 184, 2002, p.18-19

Article examines the success of a Home Zone in inner city Leeds in producing environmental health benefits for children. The streetscape of local neighbourhoods designated as Home Zones is designed to be pedestrian friendly and to offer an attractive environment in crowded urban areas.

LIBERATING FUNDS

B. Randall

Housing, Mar. 2002, p.18-20

There is a need for a network of community-based organisations to provide alternative mainstream financial services to disadvantaged groups and help drive out loan sharks. Article describes the Asset Liberation Front, a new movement made up of housing associations and local authorities, which is dedicated to combating financial exclusion.

REBUILDING LONDON'S FUTURE: REPORT OF THE LONDON ASSEMBLY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

London: Greater London Authority, 2002.

Found the picture of regeneration activity in London confusing, with no clear links between different agencies working in the same area. There is no intelligence base about the effectiveness of regeneration programmes and significant gaps exist in information about where funding is going. In the light of this confusion and fragmentation, report recommends that the London Development Agency be given full responsibility for the co-ordination and funding of both social and economic regeneration.