Items appear in ‘Recommended Reads’ section
Building Thriving Neighbourhoods, the recently published Locality Manifesto sets out a positive vision of where it proposes we can get to in 10 years’ time if communities are put in charge. Practical and achievable As we approach a general election, the manifesto seeks to showcase this potential to politicians so that the next government can…
The report “community-powered high streets” published by Power to Change makes an important and timely call for greater importance to be given to the role of community businesses in the revitalisation of our town and city centres. It sets-out to demonstrate “how community businesses will build town centres fit for the future”. Not a how-to…
This policy report from University of Cambridge’s Bennett Institute offers insights about the meaning, measurement and relevance of townscapes and pride in place as a focus for boosting the economic and social wellbeing of our towns and cities. This townscapes and pride in place report is a recommended read for anyone grappling with the Levelling…
This downloadable checklist on creating a town centre recovery plan provides a valuable resource to local leaders in responding to the COVID-19 crisis. It supplements the updated revitalising town centres online toolkit that the People & Places Partnership has prepared for the Local Government Association (LGA) and can be read alongside our free, downloadable checklist…
Being Well Together explains the methodology behind the first UK-wide Community Wellbeing Index created by the Coop and the Young Foundation. Community wellbeing ‘Wellbeing’ has been described as “all the things people need in order to lead a good life”. The concept of ‘community wellbeing’ is less developed than the concept of personal wellbeing. In Being Well Together,…
Dated policies and an unfair tax regime must be reformed to create an environment that will allow high streets and town centres to flourish in the future. That is the message from the High Streets and Town Centres in 2030 report published by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee in February. Locally-led strategies The…
The Grimsey Review 2 of the vanishing High Street offers a well-worked plan. Grimsey rightly parks key issues around planning, property and business rates firmly at central Government’s door. The rest of the document is essentially pitched at local authorities where local leaders are better placed to care, concentrate and respond to issues on their doorstep. …
When the Government-backed property industry task force published its ground-breaking report Beyond retail: redefining the shape and purpose of town centres, it included strong recognition of the important role that local leadership can play in giving places an advantage in adapting. The Beyond retail report’s recommendations for the role of local authorities remain a valid stimulus…
The Digital High Street 2020 Report makes four principal recommendations that are critical to the revitalisation of our high streets in the impending digitally dominated world: 1) Sufficient access through infrastructure 2) Basic Digital Skills 3) High Street Digital Lab 4) High Street Digital Health Index The Digital High Street 2020 Report concludes that “unless…
This Workbook on Community Engagement has been designed as a learning aid for elected members. Its introduction says it makes no judgement about whether someone has been a member for some time or whether elected more recently. For the former it even bravely states “it may even challenge you to reconsider how you have approached…