http://www.cles.org.uk/news_latest/100942/Latest Publications/ 15What we eat and how we purchase food are two key policy agendas in the modern day United Kingdom. The continued rise of poor health and in particular obesity has seen numerous high profile campaigns that have sought to improve the health of the nation and improve decision making around the purchase of food. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/100957/the_role_of_independent_food_retailers__markets_an.htm Tue, 26 Aug 08 09:00:00 GMTThis book provides an introduction to a whole range of research methods. It aims to introduce a toolkit of methods, explaining how to use them, their appropriateness and some pitfalls of using them in practice. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/102313/research_methods_handbook.htm Wed, 10 Sep 08 09:00:00 GMTPublished on the 17th July 2008, 'Transforming Places, Changing Lives: a framework fro regeneration' sets out the Government's proposals - for consultation - that aim to shape the way that regeneration is carried out in the future. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/102635/the_regeneration_framework.htm Fri, 15 Aug 08 09:00:00 GMTThe Empowerment White paper published on 9th July 'Communities in Control: Real People Real Power'1 sets out the Government's plans on 'passing more and more power to more and more people using every practical means possible'. CLES eagerly anticipated the white paper and welcomed the high profile focus upon community empowerment and the recognition at the central government level of the need to devolve power. Whilst the paper provides some good ideas there are a number of inherent tensions. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/102636/thoughts_on_the_empowerment_white_paper__the_cles.htm Wed, 16 Jul 08 09:00:00 GMTThis briefing paper sets out a summary of the response of the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) to the Review of Sub-National Economic Development and Regeneration consultation1. We are in exciting times in the United Kingdom for economic development, and local economic development in particular, and CLES welcomes the renewed central government commitment to the local authority economic development function. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/102663/consultation_response_to__prosperous_places__takin.htm Wed, 18 Jul 07 09:00:00 GMTThe Government is now recognising the importance of empowerment and the ability of co-operatives to provide a means of empowering people in a local community. Furthermore, Local Authorities have recently stated their commitment to the third sector, which includes co-operatives. 61 top tier Local Authorities have made National Indicator 7 - creating an environment for a thriving third sector - a top priority for how they will be assessed in the next three years. With this in mind, this Local Work explores in more detail the important contribution that co-operatives can and do make to local services. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/102664/what_difference_can_co_operatives_make_to_local_se.htm Tue, 26 Aug 08 09:00:00 GMTCLES has watched with interest as the Government, through its Sustainable Communities Plan of 2003, has sought to meet and address the variety of challenges facing the housing market in the long term through the flagship programmes of Housing Growth Areas, Housing Market Renewal, New Growth Points and Eco Towns. 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. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/102665/the_challenges_facing_growth_areas.htm Fri, 18 Jul 08 09:00:00 GMTLocal Work No 85 - Making Local Food Work is about promoting and developing sustainable community and social enterprises to bring together food producers and consumers. In exploring the development of this programme, this Local Work looks in more detail at the policy context behind the programme; the nature of social and community enterprise; the aims of making local food work; why the programme is necessary; why social enterprise approaches are being used; what the programme aims to achieve and the next steps. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/102666/making_local_food_work.htm Thu, 05 Jun 08 09:00:00 GMTCLES Bulletin No 58 - Following the publication of the Sub-National Review of Economic Development and Regeneration 1 in July 2007, the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) was excited that Central Government's stranglehold of economic development activity was to be broken with a series of new proposals with the devolution of economic development responsibility at their heart. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/102667/taking_forward_the_review_of_sub_national_economic.htm Wed, 07 May 08 09:00:00 GMTIn February 2008, the Department for Communities and Local Government released general guidance on the Area Based Grant1. This short briefing paper explores what is set out in this document http://www.cles.org.uk/news/102668/update__the_area_based_grant.htm Tue, 08 Apr 08 09:00:00 GMTThis Local Work investigates the social and cultural impacts of migration, focusing particularly on the extent to which Eastern European migrant workers have a positive impact on the Scottish tourism industry. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/102669/eastern_european_migrant_workers_and_the_scottish.htm Tue, 08 Apr 08 09:00:00 GMTReading any recent Government publication around the issue of local government modernisation; be it the Comprehensive Spending Review, guidance on Local Area Agreements or the new National Indicator Set; a clear rhetoric emerges as to the role of the Third Sector in local partnership, local governance and ultimately local service delivery. In reality, however, this rhetoric is far from certain, with diversity in the size, shape and ethos of Third Sector organisations leading to an often misunderstood and uncomfortable relationship between the sector and local governance mechanisms. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/102674/matching_rhetoric_with_reality__the_challenge_for.htm Tue, 09 Sep 08 09:00:00 GMTCreated in April 2008, the nine Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships (RIEPs) are a significant facet of the government's drive to promote efficiency and excellence in public services. According to the Improvement and Development Agency, they are set to play 'an exciting and vital role in the new support arrangements for councils'1. RIEPs are an amalgamation of two organisations: Improvement Partnerships, which were created voluntarily by local authorities and sought to share learning and good practice; and Regional Centres of Excellence, which have been instrumental in supporting councils to achieve far reaching efficiency savings over the previous spending review period. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/102874/cb61.htm Thu, 09 Oct 08 09:00:00 GMTEarlier 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. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/102879/rr13.htm Thu, 09 Oct 08 09:00:00 GMTHow can the health of people living in deprived communities be influenced by programmes, policies, or projects, which actively seek to regenerate those communities? How can such activities be amended so that people affected can experience more positive health impacts, and fewer negative health impacts? This Local Work seeks to explain the valuable role that HIA, as a methodology, can play in promoting the health benefits of regeneration activities. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/102885/lw88.htm Thu, 09 Oct 08 09:00:00 GMTThis CLES bulletin identifies the key messages and proposals to emerge from the Green Paper and what each of these will entail for claimants and service providers. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/103093/cb62.htm Wed, 29 Oct 08 09:00:00 GMTThis briefing firstly, seeks to provide commentary on some of the challenges facing our sector in the current economic climate and secondly, presents some suggestions as to what local authorities and, indeed, central government could do to respond. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/103096/pp23.htm Wed, 29 Oct 08 09:00:00 GMTBy Steve Griffiths, freelance researcher and consultant in the fields of social and health policy, December 2008 - This Local Work argues that the implementation of public policy in many areas can benefit significantly from some kind of small area perspective, from economic development and reduction in health inequalities to skills development and worklessness interventions. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/103341/lw89.htm Wed, 10 Dec 08 09:00:00 GMTDecember 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. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/103345/rr14.htm Wed, 10 Dec 08 09:00:00 GMTDecember 2008 - This bulletin provides commentary and critique upon the content of both the Government's long-awaited response to the consultation on the Review of Sub-National Economic Development and Regeneration and the publication of the annual Pre-Budget Report. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/103349/cb63.htm Wed, 10 Dec 08 09:00:00 GMT