Introduction

No two communities are the same. Each differs in its needs and priorities, as all are distinctive in their own economic, social and cultural way. Consequently different communities require different levels and types of services and support if outcomes are to be maximised.

Perhaps counter-intuitively, the flexible allocation of services and resources across different communities can be more efficient and create savings. Resources can be freed up where they are not needed or be increased where need requires.  Furthermore, innovation in the use of resources at the local level can create savings within and between organisations. 

To be successful, localism requires information and intelligence at the right level, strong partnership working, and the ability to take appropriate decisions at the local level. To be sustainable, it must also be seen to contribute to wider strategic agendas and generate value for money.

A significant benefit of localism is a closer engagement with the communities being served. Decisions are taken closer to local people, who view them as more relevant, and feel more able to exert influence over those decisions. Improved levels of engagement generate better information and intelligence and can improve decision-making.  Strong engagement can also build capacity within the community to undertake change for itself, beyond service provision.

MGA are industry leaders both as practitioners and consultants at developing different models of localism.

Neighbourhood Working and Neighbourhood Management are high up on the national agenda. The Department for Communities and Local Government, through a range of strategies and the Local Government Bill (2007), has identified that the solutions to our most disadvantaged areas lie with a more joined up focus at the neighbourhood level.

There are different approaches to local working, and Neighbourhood Management is one of the more intensive tried and tested ways of improving people’s lives. It involves the use of a small amount of funding to manage change and improvement in service delivery ensuring that mainstream resources can be better utilised. Citizens and communities have a key role to play in shaping public services, and local authorities are being encouraged to exercise their leadership role enable all to focus on the needs of place.

MGA offers some of the most relevant and hands-on practical experience of developing and delivering neighbourhood management programmes. Examples of our previous work include:

• Establishment and delivery of the Changes in Common Neighbourhood Management programme (Round 1 pathfinder) which was seen as a national model of good practice and achieved significant outcomes after 6 years including reduced unemployment closing the gap with the borough average by 2.3%, improved key stage 2 and GCSE results, significant reductions in crime, and more than a 50% reduction in unwanted teenage pregnancies;
  
  CASE STUDY
  Changes in Common Shop, Greenwhich
• Delivery of evaluation of neighbourhood management pilots, development of a borough wide NM strategy, and implementation of a borough wide Neighbourhood Management service for the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham;
  
  CASE STUDY
  Neighbourhood Management Strategy, LB Barking & Dagenham
• Delivery of borough wide Devising Lambeth’s Approach to Neighbourhood Working and retained to support development of Sustainable Community Strategy. Here we mapped service delivery across partners at area and neighbourhood levels, and existing community involvement mechanisms in order to advise on effective models of neighbourhood working;
• Interim management of Tendring District Neighbourhood Management programme setting up the Board, establishing a delivery plan and recruiting the staff;
  
  CASE STUDY
  Partnership Development, Tendring District Council
• Development of the Great Yarmouth NM programme Delivery Plan involving key stakeholders effectively and ensuring it was locally owned;
  
  CASE STUDY
  Improving Neighbourhoods Evaluation, King's Lynn

Devolution is about getting decisions made at the most appropriate level. It can put communities more in control of their services and local quality of life. It can also strengthen local democracy, supporting the link between local communities and their elected representatives and strengthening the role for back-bench Councillors. More developed models can facilitate on-going engagement and participation, and significantly shift the way our communities are governed.

Devolution enables local people to ‘tell it how it is’ and support the identification of local issues and solutions. It offers improved citizen involvement and greater local accountability. Such models of governance require a change in the leadership role of local government, placing more emphasis on facilitation and influence rather than control.

With the Duty to Involve now on the statute book, MGA has substantial experience in this area and can help you design, implement and fine-tune devolved structures.

CASE STUDY
Local Assemblies Support, LB Lewisham

The focus for localism need not be about services. A healthy community infrastructure can be the foundation of social and economic growth at a neighbourhood level. Developing the right infrastructure can support a thriving Third Sector and ‘Community Anchors’ that can develop income streams becoming self-sufficient.

The current emphasis is on building sustainable frameworks through social enterprises or via transferring public assets thus making better decisions with capital investments. MGA can facilitate this process by building trust and robust models so that ventures can be managed to encourage social change – a real win-win for the third sector, Councils and communities.

CASE STUDY
Pepys Community Infrastructure, LB Lewisham