This SURF seminar, held at Dewar’s Centre in Perth, had the aim of sharing experience and ideas in differing but comparable regeneration contexts of policy and place.
Key speakers included Tom Warburton, Head of Regeneration at the regional development agency One NorthEast; Chris Higgins, head of Highlands & Islands Enterprise’s supporting communities team; and Alasdair McKinlay, Community Regeneration Manager for Communities Scotland.
Please click here to download the official seminar report.
For further information, speakers’ presentation slides are available for download below.
SURF is grateful to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation for their support of this event.
Speakers
Derek Williams, policy & practice development manager (Scotland) for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) and a long-standing board member of the Scottish Urban Regeneration Forum, gave a very briefly outline of the interest of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in this area as part of their review of issues particular to the Scottish context. For more on JRF’s Neighbourhood Programme, a report of which was circulated to delegates, please visit this link: http://www.jrf.org.uk/research-and-policy/neighbourhood-renewal/
Jackie Killeen is Head of Policy & Development for the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) in Scotland, leading development of BIG’s programme and strategic policy, including most recently the Investing in Communities portfolio. Jackie was asked to describe the thinking of the Big Lottery Fund in making the support of community asset led regeneration one of its priorities; to indicate the level of resources available and the additional value that the big Lottery hopes to bring to the efforts of others. Jackie’s input should be encouraging for those considering how they could do more to support asset-based regeneration in their area. Click here to download Jackie’s presentation.
Chris Higgins is Head of the Enterprising Communities Team in the Strengthening Communities Group of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), based in Inverness. Chris presented the approach that HIE has taken to supporting community asset based regeneration in its geographical area and commented on what may be particular to the circumstances of that area, but what might also be helpfully applicable in other settings. Chris did not use slides to accompany his presentation.
Alasdair McKinlay joined Scottish Homes in August 2001 and has worked in the Regeneration Division of Communities Scotland since the organisation was launched. His main responsibilities lie in the area of developing policy on community engagement. Alasdair outlined the initiatives and related support that Communities Scotland provides to promote community asset led regeneration efforts in the Scottish urban setting. He also indicated the particular challenges and administrative issues and described what lessons have been learned from recent experience that might be transferable to the other settings covered in the scope of this seminar. Click here to download Alasdair’s presentation.
Tom Warburton is Head of Regeneration at One NorthEast, the Regional Development Agency for the North East of England. He has worked for the Agency since its formation in 1999. His current role involves leading One NorthEast’s Regeneration Team in the Strategy Directorate. The team is responsible for developing One NorthEast’s approach to regeneration, cultural investment, transport, spatial planning, housing and rural issues. One NorthEast invests around £230 million per annum of Government funds in the North East. Tom briefly set out the particular administrative and political context of the English Regional Development Agency model and informed delegates of what the One NorthEast has been doing to support asset based regeneration efforts in its geographical area. Tom was asked to reflect on the advantages, or otherwise, of operating in the non devolved UK regeneration framework and again what lessons this might offer to practitioners and policy makers as they continue to develop regeneration policy and practice in Scotland. Click here to download Tom’s presentation.
