Game changer
Tredegar was the birthplace of the NHS. Could it now see the beginning of a new more localised economic model? Dave Adamson and Mark Lang explain the CREW Deep Place approach
During 2013 we undertook a year- long research project that sought to find a solution to the seemingly intractable problems of continuing inequality and poor economic performance in some of our most disadvantaged communities. In the most ambitious report CREW
has so far produced, Toward A New Settlement: A Deep Place Approach To Equitable And Sustainable Places, we began with one central question: what type of economy and society do we need to create to achieve economic, social, cultural and environmental sustainability by 2030?
Our inspiration for addressing this question was based on our frustration with what has seemed to us as the prevailing opinion, that there should be a process of ‘managed decline’ in some of the post- industrial communities of Wales, such as those found at the Heads of the South Wales Valleys. We completely reject this view, and our research has sought to find a different future for these undoubtedly disadvantaged communities.
We offer an argument against Neoliberalism, which sees the poor as a victim of their own failings, rather than as a consequence of the uneven distribution of wealth and opportunities, which we argue is an inevitable consequence of the Neoliberal model itself. Instead, we advocate some of the central principles of Keynesianism, but imbue them with contemporary concerns for poverty eradication and environmental protection. The ‘Deep Place’ Study has been undertaken in Tredegar in Blaenau Gwent, but we believe the approach we have developed could be beneficially applied
in other communities across Wales and beyond. The report identifies 17 action points that we argue would collectively provide a route map toward a more sustainable future for the local community.
We believe a focus on place can be an invaluable tool for making policy decisions, particularly in those policies seeking to address two significant and, we argue, interconnected social policy problems: how to overcome the inequitable distribution of wealth and the unacceptable agglomeration of poverty in post-industrial areas; and how to effectively adjust to a more environmentally sustainable economic model.
Our Deep Place approach is influenced by analysis of social exclusion, which provides an important mechanism for understanding why some communities become disconnected from the mainstream economy and society. We are also influenced by the need to address environmental concerns about the need
to move toward a greener model of the economy, and by the ‘total place’ approach to public service reform. The ‘Foundational Economy’ model developed by Karel Williams also influences our approach. The Foundational Economy is the area of the economy where 40 per cent of the
UK workforce is employed in providing services such as social care, utilities, telecommunications or food. We argue that the Foundational Economy is the principal means to achieve local economic growth.
In Tredegar, therefore, we argue for a more localised economic model for the town, which we believe can both eradicate poverty and achieve sustainability. We do not suggest that there should be a separation of the economy of Tredegar from mainstream economic activity, but we do suggest that a semi-autonomous local economy would be better placed to enhance the foundational economy through localised supply chains and patterns of employment. We identify four key local economic ‘sectors’ that are critical to the future success of a more localised economy in Tredegar: food; energy conservation and generation; the care sector; and e-commerce and employment.
The Deep Place Study also considers the major challenges facing Tredegar in four key areas:
Housing: Provision of housing services including construction, repair, renovation and low carbon retrofitting provides considerable opportunity to promote
local economic development. Economies of scale would suggest a joint approach bringing together a housing renewal type intervention together with energy conservation measures. In the case of social housing in the community we can be confident that housing quality will, or has already, reached the Welsh Housing Quality Standard, though this is not true of the private sector rented accommodation. The most critical issue currently in housing is the extent of supply, particularly of affordable homes, but there appears to be little interest amongst private house builders in building in the area. We suggest that the local authority, Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, should explore mechanisms for securing private sector interest in both rental and market sale provision by undertaking a ‘de-risking’ strategy on its development land assets, drawing on examples from Birmingham.
Education: There are major educational attainment gaps between the people of Tredegar and the more affluent areas of Wales. Tredegar is, of course, not alone in this and across the UK children from the lowest income families are half as likely to get five good GCSEs and study subsequently at university. David Egan has recently argued that in order to successfully close the poverty gap in education, there need to be interventions as part of a holistic strategy involving schools, families and communities. In keeping with the general principles of subsidiarity and localisation evident in the report, we support Egan’s suggestion that there needs to be a Cooperative Educational Trust established to include schools attended by residents of Tredegar.
Transport: Public transport in Tredegar is limited and expensive. We argue that transport affordability must be closely considered, particularly for those on low incomes or seeking to return to the labour market. Walking and cycling can provide a sustainable transport solution, but there are limitations in terms of travel distances and there is a need for investment in safe walking and cycling routes. We suggest that lack of local authority involvement can lead to a disconnect between larger more strategic road improvements and the localised needs of the Foundational Economy. The Cardiff Metro proposals represent a realistic option for improved regional connectivity in South
Wales, but there are some key issues it would need to address. We suggest that one of these considerations is the issue of ownership and control, as well as the ongoing revenue of the Metro.
Health: Tredegar is a significantly disadvantaged location in terms of health inequalities. The ‘causes of the causes’ of these inequalities are economically and socially determined and they have both economic and social costs. Consequently, we argue that public health policy needs to be underpinned by a comprehensive anti-poverty strategy that addresses
the gross inequalities that have come to characterise Welsh society. We also suggest that, where possible, local procurement of goods and services should be actively pursued. However, the NHS and clinicians are only part, albeit an important part,
of the solution to overcoming health inequalities. Also of significant importance are sustainable communities and engaged local people, and international evidence has shown that the greater the engagement of local populations with their own health, the more significant the benefits.
The coordination of activities and development of synergies between the actions of national, regional and community patterns of governance are essential. Despite the demise of the Wales Spatial Plan, there is an array of spatially oriented policy developments including Enterprise Zones, Local Growth Zones, City Regions, and the Wales Infrastructural Investment Plan (WIIP). Bills under consideration include the Future Generations Bill and the Planning Bill, both of which could have major implications for the models of governance required in Wales.
Williams Commission recommendations
We support the objectives of the Williams Commission recommendations, but believe they have not gone far enough. In order to deliver a Deep Place solution we argue
it would be necessary to have single authorities, not just fewer and larger local authorities, seeing the merger of local authorities, police authorities, fire authorities and local health board functions. Making decisions for more sustainable communities should be inclusive and seek to engage
local people with the management of their public realm. We suggest that this requires a very different perspective from the normal approach to power at community level and is dependent on a willing and open ability to share power and work for common objectives.
In the immediate to medium term we recognise the need to develop the role of the Town Council in Tredegar and foster the emergence of a local anchor organisation to develop between them a Place Plan that addresses the physical, social, cultural and environmental futures of the town. We argue that the proposed Planning Bill and the Place Plans approach will require extending to include social and economic issues, as well as the simple physical planning of the community. In the longer term we identify a need for a clear process of ‘double devolution’, in which a level of autonomy for this tier of local government is developed.
We are very conscious that the proposals of the Deep Place Study fall in the most hostile financial climate of the last 50 years. The UK Government’s welfare reform has been estimated by Welsh Government to have currently taken almost £1 billion from the Welsh economy, and this disproportionately affects the most disadvantaged communities. The ability of Welsh Government to compensate for such polices is limited and, as the austerity programme translates into cuts to the Welsh Government budget, the knock-on effect for local authorities will create serious challenges for service delivery in places such as Tredegar. We have been very pleased, however, by the reception our report has so far received from policy makers and practitioners in Wales, who see the Deep Place approach as a potential game changer. We hope that it will and we are seeking to develop the approach as the means to build a sustainable community not only in Tredegar but also in other communities in Wales and beyond.
Prof Dave Adamson OBE is chief executive of CREW. Dr Mark Lang is senior researcher at CREW and an honorary university associate at Cardiff University’s Sustainable Places Research institute. Toward a New Settlement: A Deep Place Approach To Equitable And Sustainable Places is available on the CREW website: www.regenwales.org