Rapid Research
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Local Economic Assessments: How are local authorities rising to the challenge?
February 2010: This Rapid Research gives an overview of the Economic Assessment Duty and considers some of the associated policy documents and accompanying guidance before going on to offer an insight into how local authorities are responding to the Economic Assessment Duty based on the research recently carried out by CLES. It concludes by offering a number of conclusions and recommendations arising from our research.
Banking on change: Community Reinvestment and re-thinking the UK financial system
Drawing on the body of reports, articles and general commentary that has emerged on the subject, this Rapid Research explores the concept of responsible finance, especially community reinvestment banking, including the growing campaign for a more responsible financial system in the post-recession era and how this might be rolled out in the UK.
Market Towns and the recession
This research, undertaken by CLES and amt-i, (the consultancy division of Action for Market Towns), is part of a longer term research project being undertaken by CLES and AMT (and supported by the Commission for Rural Communities) with the aim of better understanding the economic resilience of market towns considering how the public, social and commercial economies operate and interact with each other.
Local authority responses to economic downturn
December 2008 - This Rapid Research provides an insight into the effects of downturn on local authorities and local areas, and crucially, how authorities are responding to the problems that have arisen or worsened over the last year.
Understanding the rollout of the Working Neighbourhoods Fund
October 2008 - Earlier this year, CLES reported on the initial reaction to the Working Neighbourhoods Fund, and found that for many practitioners the move to the new worklessness focused fund had been controversial. Six months on, this CLES Rapid Research seeks to examine how local authorities intend to use their Working Neighbourhoods Fund allocation. Whilst CLES’ previous research focused on the initial reaction of local authorities and third sector organisations to the change to the Working Neighbourhoods Fund, this Rapid Research moves the debate forward and considers how the Working Neighbourhoods Fund will, and is, being used.
The challenges facing growth areas
July 2008 - At CLES we are interested in the shaping of fairer places for the future and thus, used the CLES Rapid Research Service to examine the types of challenges emerging from this programme for places and practitioners.
A new role for Regional Development Agencies
November 2007 - Since the publication of the Review of Sub-National Economic Development and Regeneration by HM Treasury in July this year, there has been an ongoing debate around the Review’s repositioning of roles between Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and Local Authorities towards a more strategic and delivery type role respectively. The preparation of this Rapid Research included a series interviews with RDA and Local Authority representatives, to consider how this attempt to alter the current relationship might work and what challenges may need to be overcome.
Economic Development and Climate Change
April 2007 - The recently published Stern Review has set out a key challenge for central and local government in terms of the economic impact that climate change will have on the local, national and global economy. As such, the purpose of this research is to identify to what extent the Stern Review and mitigation of the effects of climate change are influencing or should influence economic development activity in the UK, at the national, local and regional level.
Linking Elected Members and the Local Community more effectively through the Local Government White Paper
December 2006 - After months of anticipation, speculation and departmental changes, the Local Government White Paper was finally released at the end of October. With speculation indicating that the paper could focus on devolved powers for city regions, concepts of double devolution and stronger central–local relations, the final paper is not as radical and devolutionary as was potentially expected.
Rural Reniassance: Ten challenges for creating sustainable and inclusive rural communities
October 2006 - The recent focus on rural regeneration has been sparked by interest in housing affordability and growth, the debate around city regions and administrative changes to the funding and delivery of rural regeneration, as well as the creation of Natural England.
Encouraging Entrepreneurialism - The Local Enterprise Growth Initiative - The Story So Far
July 2006 - Introduced in the 2005 Budget, the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI) seeks to provide a more focused approach to enterprise development and support in the most deprived areas and in particular to reduce the barriers faced by communities looking to develop business and enterprise in their area. With LEGI now entering the second stage of bidding, the purpose of this Rapid Research is to assess the content of the first round bids and provide a set of recommendations for the local authorities seeking to submit future bids for funding.
City Regions and Social Exclusion: Seven Reasons for a New Approach to Governance
May 2006 - This Rapid Research focuses on the increasingly pertinent topic of city regions. In recent months, a number of strategic and research documents have been produced by amongst others the ODPM , the Local Government Association and the Institute for Public Policy Research on the perceived benefits of a city regional model of governance.
Rethinking Worklessness
April 2006 - The purpose of this Rapid Research is to briefly explore the proposals outlined in the Government’s recent Green Paper, A New Deal for Welfare, and to unpack what these reforms will mean for new Incapacity Benefit claimants and those working in Regeneration and Economic Development.
Freedoms and Flexibilities Negotiated in Pilot Local Area Agreements
December 2005 - Local Area Agreements were introduced by the Government, in July 2004, as part of a wider process of modernisation and localism, which seeks to allow local authorities and local agencies the opportunity to influence and drive the local agenda. Since 2004, 21 Local Area Agreement pilots have been signed off and a further 66 are under negotiation. In particular, the Government recognised that there was a growing need for local authorities and Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) to have greater input into how targets are set, how funding is spent and how services are delivered, at the local level.
Neighbourhood Renewal Fund Allocations 2006/08
September 2005 - The Spending Review of 2004 further extended the lifespan of the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund with a further £1.05billion allocated for the period 2006/2008. On 21st July 2005 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) released the local authority allocations of the NRF pot.
Respect
July 2005 - A day does not pass in the United Kingdom without a mention in the national press of a certain aspect of anti-social behaviour or ‘(dis)respect’, in communities across the country. Whether it be groups of young people hanging around in bus shelters causing a nuisance to local residents; binge drinkers on a Friday night creating disruption in town centres; youths spraying graffiti; or people with oversized hedges disrupting the lives of their neighbours, it continues despite several years of government enforcement attempting to tackle these issues. The Government has set out its stall in its third term of office to attempt to further address these issues through its radical ‘respect agenda’.
CLES Commendations 2010
Three projects received commendations at this year's CLES Summit - Grow (Hull); The Star Inn (Salford) and East Lindsey Active (Lincolnshire).
Full details
Local Economic Assessment Network
CLES has launched its national Local Economic Assessment Network.
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Wellbeing Evaluation
Norwich LEGI
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HCA Placemaking Practice Review Panel
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