2021 SURF Manifesto for Community Regeneration

Since its formation in 1992, SURF has always done more than connect, and provide services to, its 300 cross-sector member organisations and over 3000 individual contacts. We also draw on the views, experience and knowledge of that diverse network to positively influence policy and practice in community regeneration across Scotland.

A central element in that process involves SURF consulting widely in preparing a manifesto, which it then promotes and debates in advance of each

Scottish Parliament election. The Manifesto sets out the reality of the contemporary regeneration context and what SURF members want the Scottish Government to do differently in response to priority problems and opportunities.

They are then formally submitted to political parties and widely promoted, in advance of each election. Each manifesto is designed to focus on a complementary set of practical policy recommendations, which link physical, social and economic regeneration. SURF follows up on the outcomes of this dedicated effort via its broader and continuous programme of work. This helps to  the policies, processes and investments of the Scottish Government, local government and relevant agencies.

SURF’s 2021 Manifesto was inclusively developed over a nine month period of intense consultation activity in 2020/21.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, consultations took the form of telephone interviews, video discussions and email exchanges with key SURF members in particular sectors, and desk-based research that drew out learning outcomes from recent SURF events and projects, and appropriate policy recommendations from relevant independent reports.

Participants in the 2020 SURF Annual Conference also had the opportunity to discuss and vote on emerging messages. The 2021 Manifesto was presented to Scotland’s main political parties in early 2021 to inform their internal policy manifesto development processes in the run-up to the May 2021 Scottish Parliament elections.

SURF’s manifesto also formed the basis for a 2021 Scottish Regeneration Question Time husting-style debate with guest politicians. Taking place on 15 April 2021, this event provided SURF members with the opportunity to ask party representatives for a response to the recommendations.

SURF has produced a series of eight background papers on manifesto themes.

Each briefing paper features a policy context and suggested questions for each of the specific themes we are investigating, as well as general information on the consultation process.