NEWS
£70m communitybuilders scheme announced
Communities in control: real people, real power was launched on 9 July 2008. This White Paper is about passing power to communities, generating vibrant local democracy in every part of the country, and giving real control over local decisions and services to a wider pool of active citizens. A £70m Communitybuilders scheme to help community-led organisations become more sustainable is announced. Community development workers will encourage other frontline workers in community building: “Independent multi purpose community led organisations can play a vital role in empowering local people. Grassroots Grants, developed by the Office of the Third Sector, will offer small sums of money from an £80m fund – in addition there is a £50m community endowment fund – to help locally-based groups to survive and thrive.” Read more.
Welcome to high street uk
High St. UK is a new national town centre programme aimed at creating a momentum of activity at high street level. The programme focusses on town and city centres, the people that run them, the businesses that operate there, residents and consumers, the people that look to them to provide central services and the local economic systems they fit within. It is a collaborative venture between The Civic Trust and the New Economics Foundation.
Town centre management has increasingly focused on the perceptions of the national multiples. Smaller independent shops are closing at the rate of 2,000 a year, but a successful town centre relies on a blend of well known fascias and local independents. A strong local independent sector means that more money is retained within the local economy to support local growth in jobs and other opportunities. The power of major food stores to dominate a local centre is well known, but the techniques for developing and supporting the full complementary range of other facilities is less understood and rarely applied.