All change at CREW
Dave Adamson takes his leave from CREW with some reflections on regeneration in Wales
This is my last contribution to WHQ as chief executive of CREW following a decision to ‘retire’. It is now four and a half years since I took on the challenge of setting up CREW and a useful time for reflection.
In that time we have moved from a UK Government with a clear commitment to regeneration, to one with welfare ‘reform’ as its central objective. We have moved from apparent prosperity to severe austerity and we have seen public expenditure reduced by an unprecedented programme of cuts and restructuring of public services. When I first started I was supported by a further 11 Centres of Excellence throughout the UK collaborating as the Sustainable Communities of Excellence Network (SCEN). All but two of those were abolished along with their Regional Development Agency parents in the first wave of cuts to hit the sector.
In England, the period has seen a move from regeneration programmes such as the strategy for neighbourhood renewal with its £5 billion budget over ten years, to a replacement by Local Economic Partnerships to once again rely on the ‘trickle down’ of wealth created by the private sector. History should tell us one thing very clearly – wealth does not trickle down, it collects in pockets.
Currently in Wales regeneration, if narrowly defined, has been protected to some extent from the full impact of the austerity measures. We have a minister with the term in his title and a Vibrant and Viable Places programme which will see £100 million of direct regeneration expenditure over the next three years. No one can pretend that this is a sufficient amount to meet the needs of communities in Wales, but it demonstrates a collective commitment in Wales to a different way of working. Here, we still have a collective will to address the needs of our most disadvantaged communities and we use a broader social model of regeneration. We can see the added value of the Tackling Poverty Action Plan, the commitment to building new homes, changes in health and education and strategies such as city regions, the metro and enterprise zones. Regeneration is a whole government issue and all these initiatives will contribute to some extent to the regeneration agenda in Wales.
Welfare cuts
Regrettably, all these take place against the tide of welfare cuts, which Welsh Government estimates will take £1 billion from the poorest communities in Wales. The impact of this on disposable incomes will affect our high streets, our pubs, our local businesses and generally undermine the local economy. Elsewhere in this issue we outline the findings of our Deep Place Study of Tredegar, which suggests that for many of our communities it is the local economy that holds most promise for regeneration and future employment. Despite the claims of economic recovery at a UK level we know in Wales that when business returns to normal in the South East of England, our post-industrial regions are left to their own devices and in reality never recover from recession. This calls on us all to experiment, innovate and never return to the ‘business as usual’ model of the pre-recession madness. That pattern of economy has never worked for Wales.
Leaving CREW also provides an opportunity to recognise my debts and to thank everyone who has supported CREW since its inception. Andrew Dakin came on board in a secondment in 2010 and brought his encyclopaedic knowledge of regeneration policy and practice to the table. Andrew will take a well-earned reduction in hours in the near future. From the very beginning, the whole team at Community Housing Cymru have supported CREW in practical ways with administrative support but more critically with friendship and shared vision. Since May last year we have been joined by Alan, Jemma, and Jonathan, giving us the all-Wales coverage we always wanted. Sue Wilcox has tried valiantly and failed miserably to curb my time mismanagement.
Rewarding job
CREW has a wide range of stakeholders and the support from every sector has been the most rewarding part of the job. There are moments when such support is mission critical and during our funding struggles, having that foundational support enabled Andrew and myself to continue. Collectively, regeneration in Wales owes most to Richard Essex whose vision for a Centre of Excellence took the idea through its initial development, a task and finish group and ultimately to the creation of CREW. Richard has donated his time to CREW since its inception beyond any reasonable voluntary contribution and equivalent to a whole time employee at least. This runs alongside his day job as convener of the Regeneration Skills Collective Wales.
Finally, I hope that the incoming director of CREW will enjoy the role as much as I have and that he or she will also secure the confidence and support from Welsh ministers that I have so deeply appreciated.
As a parting shot, please don’t forget to keep up with CREW news at www.regenwales.org