responding to recession
an innovation & good practice guide
Contents
Foreword 3
What’s in this guide 4
10 quick wins 5
1 Keeping down council tax and other charges 5
2 Establishing corporate task forces 5
3 Speedy payment for small & medium enterprises (SMEs) 6
4 Extra resources for financial advice 6
5 Promoting rate relief for SMEs 6
6 Increasing procurement through SMEs 7
7 Changing rent payment periods 8
8 Recession leadership through LSPs 8
9 Promoting benefit take-up 8
10 Publicity for recession support 10
Specific initiatives 12
Help for those without work 12
Help with housing and living costs 17
Keeping our high streets alive 20
Advice and support for businesses 26
Work in progress 29
Woodberry Down 29
South Kilburn 32
Aylesbury estate 33
Westminster development co. 34
Resources 35
2
Foreword
In recent months, as the recession has increasingly begun to affect local
communities and businesses, councils across London have been putting in place
packages of action and interventions that they believe can have an immediate
impact for those most at risk. As community leaders, local service providers and
strategic partners, London’s authorities are also responding to the longer-term
impacts the recession is having and supporting people and families in their
communities.
Throughout these changing conditions, authorities are keen to share information
about what can be done to most effectively assist those in difficulty. An initial
event was organised by the Capital Ambition Policy Officers Network to learn about
what each authority was doing. This revealed a wide canvas of innovative activity
and a strong desire to quickly capture the range of initiatives underway for wider
dissemination.
That is the backdrop to this booklet. It aims to present a snapshot in time of how
authorities in London have responded to date. As councils gain a deeper
understanding of the recession’s impacts in their local areas, their ambition will be
to continue to monitor and respond with appropriate actions – moving beyond
these more immediate actions to those which may call on more innovative ideas
and partnerships.
The Policy Officers Network, working with the support of Capital Ambition, will
continue to share the actions their authorities are pursuing. Our ambition is to
deepen our understanding of recessionary impacts and continue to lead London in
upholding its prosperous world-class status.
Cllr Michael White
Deputy chairman, London Councils
and lead member for improvement
3
What’s in this guide?
This booklet showcases the actions London’s local councils are taking to help their
areas through the recession, providing a quick reference resource for councillors
and officers looking for further inspiration and ideas.
We start with summarising the top ten actions that most councils are already
putting in place. These have been relatively easy and quick initiatives to
implement, and demonstrate a swift response to the immediate impacts of the
recession.
We then highlight some examples of specific initiatives being developed across
London’s varied places and communities.
We have grouped these under:
I help for those without work
I help with housing and living costs
I keeping our high streets alive
I advice and support for businesses.
For the final section of this booklet we showcase a few of the initiatives underway
which aim to sustain major regeneration and house building schemes in London.
At the back of this booklet you will find some signposts for where to find further
useful information on how councils are responding to recession.
4
10 quick wins
rapid response actions
1 Keeping down council tax and other
“The £50 dividend has three great
charges merits: it pays the same to all
Londoners are expected to receive one residents liable for council tax,
of the lowest council tax rises across thereby giving proportionately
England. Nearly half London’s local more help to those on the lowest
incomes; it focuses the help in
authorities have announced a total freeze
April, when it might be most
on increases (with a corresponding freeze
needed; and it can provide a
on precept charges announced by the stimulus to the local economy if,
Greater London Authority). Kensington & as we would hope, those who
Chelsea, using its wellbeing powers, has spend it will do so locally.”
paid a one-off £50 efficiency dividend to Cllr Merrick Cockell, leader of
all resident council taxpayers. Kensington & Chelsea council
Hammersmith & Fulham has reduced its
charges for the third consecutive year, making residents £175 better off at a
time when many are struggling with the cost of living.
London councils are also keeping down the costs of access to leisure facilities
with nearly 80 per cent setting leisure charges below or in-line with inflation.
2 Establishing corporate task forces
Sutton’s approach illustrates the way many London councils are recognising the
need to both monitor and manage effective responses to the downturn. Sutton
has established an Economic Support Task Force with a remit of generating
ideas and pushing forward appropriate responses as the local situation
develops. It comprises various local partners, including business and voluntary
sector members, the two local MPs and is chaired by the leader of the council.
Waltham Forest has similarly established an ‘Economic Downturn Group’,
meeting monthly and reporting directly to their leadership team. Barnet’s
cabinet resources committee are monitoring recession tracking indicators every
quarter, and the leader is running a series of ‘Leader Listens’ events with local
business aimed at increasing understanding of the needs and concerns of the
business community during the recession. Barnet has also sent out a survey to
1,000 residents who sit on its Citizens Panel to find out what impact the
recession is having on individuals and communities. Results are expected in
August 2009 and will be reported to the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP).
5
3 Speedy payment for small & medium
enterprises (SMEs) “For smaller firms in a time
of recession, prompt
Recognising the increased pressures on cash payment of a contract with
flow during the recession, especially for their local authority could
smaller firms, several councils have moved make the difference between
quickly to speed up invoice payments to their whether their company goes
local suppliers, usually from 30 to 10 days. to the wall or not.”
Lambeth, who are implementing this Back to Business, BCC & LGA
approach for SMEs with whom the council has January 2009
an annual spend of up to £25,000, estimate
the total value of contracts that will benefit to be £7 million. Some boroughs,
such as Croydon, are also promoting this approach among its public sector
partners through the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP). In Hillingdon, 230 local
SMEs will receive invoice payments immediately, rather than the default 30 days.
4 Extra resources for financial advice
As both providers and commissioners of advice services, many councils have
increased resources for these services as part of their response to the recession.
Camden has provided some £300,000 additional funding for debt and advice
services, including CAB outreaching provision to accessible venues like
supermarkets. Following discussion with their LSP, Hillingdon set aside
£150,000 to help local advice agencies support clients during the downturn,
supported by an additional £75,000 from a local charitable funder. Sutton, as
part of a 10-point economic recovery plan, has seconded a council officer to its
local CAB to help with administrative tasks and free-up the time of advisers. The
secondment will also aid information sharing on the impact of the downturn
locally. Sutton has also agreed to pay their third sector organisations in advance
rather than in arrears.
See a useful briefing from AdviceUK January 2009 for more information:
‘Weather the Storm: Councils reaching out to the advice sector during the
recession’ at www.adviceuk.org.uk
5 Promoting rate relief for SMEs
Across the capital local authorities are encouraging small businesses to claim
the rate relief they are entitled to (a national scheme – see box over page).
Westminster wrote to its small businesses encouraging them to apply and has
seen 1,000 additional firms benefiting from the scheme with a total reduction in
bills of over £265,000. Kingston also promoted the scheme in conjunction with
6
its Chamber of Commerce and has seen an 18 per cent increase as a result.
Southwark is taking similar action, tying letters in with reminder notices, and is
also planning to increase refunds of overpaid credits on business rate accounts,
either off-setting credits against existing rate liabilities or refunding them to
businesses. Southwark is also keen to offer support to businesses facing
enforcement action on non-payment of rates, contacting them before the
instruction of bailiffs.
Business Rate Relief
Since April 2005 SMEs in a non-domestic property with a rateable value of
below £15,000 a year (or less than £21,500 in Greater London) can claim up
to half of their business rates back. Eligible businesses with rateable values
of below £5,000 get 50 per cent rate relief on their liability. This relief
decreases on a sliding scale by 1 per cent for every £100 of rateable value
over £5,000, up to £10,000.
6 Increasing procurement through SMEs
Also widespread across London are efforts to encourage SME involvement in the
delivery of council contracts, either directly or with prime contractors through
the supply chain. Sutton, for example, provides comprehensive information to
potential contractors on its website and, in common with many other boroughs,
holds ‘Meet the Buyer’ events to help smaller contractors build relationships with
larger companies. Sutton’s approach is particularly interesting because the event
focuses on a live contract and the main contractors who are shortlisted are
mandated to attend as part of the tendering process. Points in the tendering
process are awarded for sustainability, which equates to the employment of local
products, services and labour.
Merton has set a local procurement target of double the current level (from a
baseline of 5 per cent) and is encouraging partners through the LSP to introduce
similar targets. Partners are also invited to participate in the local procurement
seminars which are being planned by the council over the next two years.
The City of London sees support for local purchasing as critical to its
responsibilities for promoting the economies of the boroughs which surround it.
It has developed a ‘Local Procurement Project’ to encourage competitive
procurement from SMEs from the boroughs immediately adjacent to the ‘Square
Mile’, both through its own contracting arrangements and by encouraging city
firms to adopt local procurement as part of their social responsibility and
business competiveness objectives.
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7 Changing rent payment periods
Southwark is implementing a temporary concession arrangement for tenants of
all properties which are within the voluntary sector portfolio and for tenants of
low and medium value shops within the commercial portfolio. It will allow rent
that is normally billed quarterly in advance to be paid calendar monthly in
advance instead. Hounslow is also allowing monthly rather than quarterly
payments and, in common with several other London authorities, is allowing
rent and council tax payments for their commercial tenants to be spread over
12 months instead of 10 for those that pay by direct debit. In Hillingdon,
proposed rent increases for local authority tenants have been halved from
6.2 per cent to 3.1 per cent.
8 Recession leadership through LSPs
Lambeth is one of several authorities to have championed its leadership
responsibilities for recession through coordinated work with its LSP, starting
with commissioned analysis through a Credit Crunch Taskforce. The resultant
Economic Recovery Plan proposes a wide range of initiatives, including the
reallocation of resources from the Working Neighbourhoods Fund to target
support to existing local businesses and promote employment services to their
most vulnerable citizens. Richmond has similarly worked on the development of
its recession response through the LSP, intending to update the Community
Plan with an additional chapter specifically on the local economy. Hounslow
has established an LSP Recession Task Force with multiple partner involvement
which is working to a list of recession performance indicators to help identify
refocused, high impact initiatives across the partnership. Merton’s LSP is
developing an action plan in response to the recession, aiming to mitigate the
impact for the local community and prepare for recovery by working to a
specific range of indicators to monitor progress.
9 Promoting benefit take-up
Lambeth is working in partnership with NHS Lambeth and local advice agencies
to deliver the ‘Every Pound Counts’ campaign, running outreach services (for
example in GP surgeries) to reach key target groups. This programme has
already delivered some impressive results: on average each Lambeth resident
that has been assisted through the programme (some 2,000 people to date) has
received an additional £3,500 of income. Lambeth is also committed, through
its Debt Collection Charter, to working with debt/money advice services to
support people through financial difficulties and ensure all benefits available
are being utilised. Further work is underway around debt mapping to increase
preventative approaches to help residents avoid financial crises.
8
The extent and effectiveness of partnership in developing appropriate responses
to the impacts of the economic slowdown on local areas will be a key issue
within the new Comprehensive Area Assessment arrangements.
Haringey has been involved in a joint initiative with the Haringey CAB, using
the council’s Geographic Information Service to map child poverty, identify
areas where it is high, and then implement additional services into these areas.
This analysis of data is important in capturing areas of deprivation that are
within relatively affluent wards.
Islington is operating a credit crunch
helpline - a free ‘phone line for residents
to check on eligibility for benefits and
tax credits and get help with personal
finances, debt, housing costs and job
seeking. Islington has also held a series
of road shows in various locations,
including the borough’s street markets.
These have brought together a range of
council and voluntary providers to
provide on the spot advice and support
for residents, and make referrals for
more detailed advice where necessary.
Bromley has produced a Debt and Money Advice booklet, which is widely
available across the borough and on the website, and operates free drop-in
advice events at various locations, including the civic centre.
9
10 Publicity for recession support
Many authorities have taken immediate steps to ensure that their websites can
effectively signpost key information and support services to both residents and
local businesses. A good example is Westminster’s dedicated web-page (‘Beat
the Recession’), which signposts sources of support for businesses, individuals
and families. Rather than organising the page around themes or organisations,
it is structured around questions directed at the reader; making it more
accessible and avoiding the need for users to search extensively to find the
service they need. Another comprehensive website signposting vital
information on the recession for both local residents and local businesses has
been developed by Croydon – see www.croydoncrunch.org
The I&DEA has produced a useful guide called ‘Recession-proof your Website’
which can be accessed at www.idea.gov.uk
A webpage, ‘Bright Ideas’, has been set up on Barnet council’s website to offer
residents practical tips and help to confront the economic downturn. It includes
signposting to benefits and legal advice, help with jobs and careers as well as
tips and information on how residents can save money. Residents are also
encouraged to share ideas and suggestions about how to beat the downturn via
the council’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
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Most councils are also making use of their
magazines and newsletters, running special
double-page spreads and other articles to
provide specific advice to local people and
signposting where to go for further
information. For example, Redbridge
council’s magazine has featured major
coverage on the recession (linked to
dedicated web pages) and Harrow issued a
‘Recession Survival Guide’ to every
householder in the borough.
Lambeth is one of many boroughs where
there are major concerns about the
activities of loan sharks. A new report from
the New Local Government Network has
estimated that some 200,000 people could
be tempted to approach illegal money lenders as the economy gets worse. They
ran a front page article on this in Lambeth Life, publicising safe local
alternative lending sources, including the Lambeth Savings and Credit Union.
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Specific initiatives
Showcasing exemplar local interventions
Help for those without work
Many communities in London have been experiencing long term worklessness over
many years, not just as a result of the current economic recession. Initiatives to
help this client group are therefore well established among many of the inner-
London boroughs, and are being further boosted by current policies, including the
Working Neighbourhoods Fund and the two Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
‘City Strategy’ initiatives that fall within the capital.
London’s Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) has a targeted youth
engagement programme and its ‘LIFE’ project supports young people into work in
a variety of ways. Barking and Dagenham’s borough commander, for example,
conducts mock interviews for all final year students in the borough, to help them
prepare for job interviews.
On the following pages we highlight the work in Hackney, which is part of the East
and South East London City Strategy, because of its innovation in partnership
working with RSLs to engage hard to reach clients on housing estates; and also an
initiative in Hillingdon, part of the West London Working City Strategy Pathfinder.
We have also chosen to include the innovative approach for unemployed
professionals being developed by Sutton – a borough with very different
employment profile to Hackney’s, but which is responding to the rapidly rising rate
of white collar unemployment evident in many parts of the capital.
Finally, we focus on some of the initiatives being taken to boost the number of
apprenticeship opportunities available within local authorities in London. This is a
key commitment for London Councils which, with the support of Capital Ambition, is
aiming to increase provision to over 2,000 new apprenticeship starts in London by
2012. Lewisham, for example, is working closely with Lewisham College to take on
100 apprentices by 2012. Both Barking and Dagenham and Ealing councils have
established strong schemes, while Westminster is providing financial support to
establish the new London Apprenticeship Company, which aims to train over 1,000
young people for SMEs in the capital.
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Hackney ‘Ways into Work’
Hackney has established a coordinated outreach programme to engage with
social housing tenants. The problem was that existing advice, guidance and job
referral services were not reaching their most excluded and economically
inactive residents, many of whom had never worked. The highest concentration
of this client group was evident on housing estates, yet the housing providers
in the borough were not proactively engaged in tackling employment issues.
Using a single tender approach, nine housing organisations have been
commissioned through Service Level Agreements to deliver outreach services to
their tenants. They are tasked to make initial contact with clients and register
them, and then refer them onto other appropriate providers, making use of
existing specialist agencies as well as mainstream provision.
Each housing organisation has taken its own approach to staffing and delivery.
Some have engaged local residents to do outreach work, some have utilised
community organisations, and others are using existing housing management
staff. All personnel involved have been provided with training on how to
register clients appropriately and make the right referrals.
The LSP, Team Hackney, has been strengthened by bringing housing providers
into the partnership as active players and deliverers.
A fuller version of this case study can be found on the I&DEA Partnerships &
Places Library (www.idea.gov.uk/idk/laa/home.do)
13
Hillingdon ‘Workmates’ Scheme
Hillingdon has introduced the Workmates’ Scheme as part of the West London
Working City Strategy Pathfinder, which will provide a helping hand for working
parents during the first 52 weeks of starting employment until September
2010. Research has shown that, of the benefit claimants starting paid
employment, only 37 per cent are still in employment after just four weeks.
This could be avoided if more advice and support was available. The scheme
will offer support with childcare arrangements, help and advice on a range of
topics, from finance to coping skills, peer support networks, benefits guidance
and help with gaining additional skills. To qualify, residents need to live in
affordable housing, be low income parents and currently working, or planning
to return to work for at least 16 hours a week.
Sutton Support for Professionals
Sutton was one of the first boroughs to initiate a comprehensive action plan to
address local recession impacts, which included establishing an Economic
Support Task Force. One of the initiatives taken forward through this group is
the setting up of a series of special courses targeted at highly skilled
executives and professionals. These have been developed in response to a
marked rise in unemployment in the more affluent parts of the borough,
organised through a partnership comprising the council, Jobcentre Plus, the
Chamber of Commerce and the Citizens Advice Bureau. The free events, thought
to be a national first, are aimed at professionals and executives, many from the
financial and construction industries, who have lost their jobs in the recession.
Over three sessions attendees get advice and tips on getting back into the
workplace, training opportunities or starting their own firm. The courses take
place in the Sutton Holiday Inn and more than 40 local people have
participated to date, with further courses planned for September and
October ‘09.
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Barking & Dagenham Apprenticeship Scheme
Barking and Dagenham has committed to delivering a minimum of 750
apprenticeships across the borough in the coming years, with real and varied
local job opportunities within the council, its many partner organisations and
in commercial companies in the borough. Leading from the front, the council
has an ambition to take on at least 100 apprentices itself during 2009 in a
range of disciplines and across all departments. It is doing this because, as the
largest local employer, it has a genuine desire to actively help transform the
lives of its residents, many of whom have been traditionally disadvantaged in
the labour market and not been able to realise their full potential. The scheme
generally runs over a 12 month period; offering four days learning in the work
place, and one day at college or with another training provider. See:
www.barking-dagenham.gov.uk/7-hr/apprenticeships/apprenticeships
Ealing Apprenticeship Scheme
Ealing’s scheme has been operational since 2007 and has to date employed 45
young people, mainly in the area of business administration, with a retention
rate of 97 per cent. By working in partnership with other organisations,
including Connexions and the Ealing Education Business Partnership,
promotion of the scheme has been further strengthened and the council’s
decision to include a brokerage role for the scheme has led to the employment
of a further 22 apprentices by external businesses, including those within
Ealing council’s supply chain. The aim is now for the scheme to become self-
sustaining by 2010/11. See:
www.ealing.gov.uk/services/jobs/ealing_apprenticeship_scheme
Ealing councillors’ innovative use of Overview and Scrutiny to develop the
scheme in the borough is showcased in Capital Improvement: Stories from the
London Scrutiny Network available online at:
www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/capitalambition/networks/scrutiny
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London Apprenticeship Company (LAC)
Westminster has supported the establishment of a new not-for-profit company
dedicated to boosting the number of apprentices in small and medium sized
companies in London. The scheme, modelled on an approach that has been
operating for over 20 years in Australia, aims to make it easy, low cost and low
risk for smaller companies to take on and train junior staff.
The concept is very simple. Once a company has chosen an apprentice, from
among those shortlisted for them by the LAC, they are employed directly by the
LAC (at a wage rate set by the company themselves), provided with training
appropriate to their sector and supported through structured supervision
during the course of the apprenticeship (usually one year). Sectors covered
include retail, creative media, plumbing, social care, business administration,
hospitality, construction and leisure.
Central London has more small businesses than any other part of the UK with
around 80 per cent of companies employing less than five people. By funding
the establishment of the LAC, Westminster is hoping to provide a significant
boost for the sector.
“We are facing tough economic times and apprenticeships are a highly effective
way to ensure you have the right skills in place to survive the economic downturn
but also prepare your business for when the economic climate improves.”
(Brian Connell, Cabinet Member for Communities & Economic Development)
See www.londonapprenticeship.co.uk for further information
Westminster will also be negotiating apprenticeship and employment
opportunities for local residents through the re-let of major contracts including
waste management and parking enforcement. It also runs a scheme tackling
unemployment, outreaching to housing estates with the highest concentrations
of residents claiming out of work benefits. Westminster Works offers a single
point of contact for job-seekers offering skills and needs assessments, training
plans and access to work opportunities, supported by comprehensive
monitoring to track client progression routes. The scheme aims to engage with
employers to generate a range of opportunities for Westminster residents
wishing to enter the job market, offering a range of initiatives including: work
placements, job trials and work tasters, mock interviews and CV workshops.
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Help with housing and living costs
Several London councils have worked swiftly to facilitate easy access to the
government’s Mortgage Rescue Scheme for residents in their boroughs. The scheme
provides temporary financial help, through loans or shared equity, to those
struggling with mortgage payments. However, many are looking to do more.
Islington, for example, has approved funding of £5 million to extend the application
of the national scheme to meet their specific local needs and circumstances.
Lambeth is developing its approach through a service level agreement with the
Centre 70 Advice Centre to act as a referral agency. The council is also having on-
going discussions with several of its RSL partners to purchase share/whole property
for residents who have exhausted all the usual channels, such as going onto an
interest only mortgage, in trying to keep their home. Lambeth is also seeking to
provide additional support for leaseholders who are finding difficulty in paying
monies for future major works. Options being considered include three, five, seven
and 10 year plans for resident leaseholders to repay major works bills by direct debit
where they are unable to raise loans elsewhere.
Many London boroughs are piloting innovative projects to combat child poverty.
For example, from September 2009 Newham will be providing free school meals to
all children in the borough as part of a two year pilot scheme. This aims to help
local families and ensure children are eating healthy, nutritious food.
Another fairly widespread approach is to provide specific advice and assistance on
ways to reduce energy costs, both in the home and the workplace; several of these
initiatives are highlighted overleaf:
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Richmond ‘Go Green’
Richmond is funding a range of free services to support local people, schools
and local businesses to review their environmental performance and implement
improvements. The Go Green initiative has a dedicated portal on the council’s
website, with three main sections for those at work, business or at school.
A variety of review services are also available for local businesses, including:
I Energy reviews and support to identify saving opportunities through
heating, cooling, lighting, equipment, and operations. Advice can be
provided on changing staff behaviour and identifying renewable energy
sources.
I Waste reviews and support to help minimise waste production and
packaging, and implement reuse and recycling. Advice can be provided on
legal obligations through management of hazardous waste and storage,
transportation and treatment of waste.
I Water reviews and advice on water efficiency in supply and drainage,
kitchens and toilets, cleaning operations and manufacturing processes.
Advice can be provided on how to reduce the risk of polluting of waterways.
I Travel reviews to help develop travel plans to reduce single occupancy car
use. Advice can be provided on how to enable staff and visitors to use
public transport and cycling facilities.
I Purchasing reviews and advice on supply chain management to increase
sourcing of sustainable products and services. Advice can be provided on
managing procurement procedures to ensure timely purchasing to decrease
waste, number of deliveries and distances travelled.
A wide range of other services are also available for businesses, such as free
environmental management courses, regular information and briefing events,
and an awards scheme. See www.richmond.gov.uk/gogreen
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Islington Energy Doctor
In Islington, additional funding has been made available to promote energy
efficiency advice with an ‘energy doctor’ able to visit venues around the
borough giving face-to-face, in-depth advice on fuel poverty issues and to refer
residents to the relevant schemes. It is anticipated that each household
assisted will save about £60 per annum from the basic package that the energy
doctor can recommend.
Lambeth Home Visiting Energy Advice Service
Lambeth is instigating a Home Visiting Energy Advice Service and doubling the
size of its contribution to the Loans for All fund for residents to make home
improvements on the basis of advice from the home visits. The targets are for
more than 900 households to receive advice, and for the installation of energy
efficiency measures to more than 300 households.
Hillingdon grants for heating improvements
Gas and electricity suppliers have raised prices dramatically over recent
months. Hillingdon is part of the London Warm Zone, a scheme that has helped
more than 1,600 people in the borough over the past year. Old, inefficient or
broken heating systems can be replaced or repaired or, if a home has no
heating system, it may be possible to have a new, energy efficient system
installed free of charge. Grants are also available for the installation of loft and
cavity wall insulation. For some people the work can be done for free, or
homeowners may be eligible for a discount of up to 70 per cent.
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Sutton partnership with B&Q
Sutton has teamed up with DIY chain B&Q to offer residents five thousand rolls
of cut price loft insulation to help reduce heating bills and energy consumption
in the borough’s homes. The scheme allows residents to buy up to 30 rolls at
just £1 each on a first come, first served basis and aims to encourage more
people to adopt sustainable behaviour.
Keeping our high streets alive
Initiatives to maintain the vibrancy of town centres and high streets and provide
support for local retailers figure prominently in nearly all the boroughs’ recession
strategies. Reducing parking charges at key times is a popular option, helping small
centres compete against large supermarkets with copious areas of free parking. For
example, Tower Hamlets – a borough rich in street markets - has removed parking
charges around its market areas at weekends. Sutton is considering an extension of
free car parking days following the success of a similar initiative taken in the run
up to Christmas. Hounslow is reducing parking charges in key shopping locations,
and allowing free parking for the first hour in Brentford town centre. In a more
general move, Newham has made the first resident parking permit free of charge for
each household.
Many boroughs are increasing resources for street cleaning and environmental
services to ensure town centres are kept clean and inviting. Harrow, for example,
has invested in 15 additional street sweepers as part of a new blitz team to clean
the main shopping centres.
Several boroughs are developing initiatives to boost local shopping, such as
Camden’s ‘Love your High Street’ campaign (see www.camden.gov.uk/ccm/
themes/love-camden). Newham is one of several boroughs planning to introduce
loyalty cards similar to ones already in operation in boroughs such as at Greenwich
and in Havering. By using the ‘Haveringcard’, residents can access money savings,
discounts and special offers on goods and services from more than 600 local
businesses that have signed up to be part of the scheme. Haringey also has a
loyalty card operating in Crouch End – see: www.thecrouchendproject.co.uk.
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Lambeth is introducing the ‘Brixton Pound’, a local currency which will come into
circulation in September 2009. Supported by local businesses and the credit union,
residents will be able to use the currency in local participating shops and stores
selling local produce. They hope that this will not only support the local economy,
it will also support the concept of buying locally produced or sourced goods.
Elsewhere action is focussing on strategies to reduce the impact of empty shops by
finding temporary uses. Waltham Forest and Redbridge are making innovative use
of empty stores for community arts, and Sutton is developing a strategic approach
working with voluntary sector groups and managing agents of premises to secure
short term lets for a variety of community uses.
Waltham Forest High Street Arts
This initiative aims to use empty commercial properties to house temporary
arts installations, including visual and performance arts, engaging local
community arts and local arts organisations. Each project supported will need
to be accessible to the public and make a direct impact on brightening the high
street and increasing visitor numbers.
The first pilot project to be developed as part of this initiative is PicknMix –
60 artists exhibiting in the former Leytonstone Woolworths over four extended
weekends in June/July. Each exhibiting artist has been invited to respond,
re-interpret and revitalize the empty shell of the store.
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Lewisham is working with a team of five town centre businesses that are offering
support to struggling retailers, particularly small independent shops, while Bromley
is working with its town centre managers to offer specialist local surgeries in
partnership with Business Link.
Many London boroughs are also striving hard to secure continued investment for
improvements to their major retail areas, and ensuring that new investment
benefits local people. Barking and Dagenham is working on an improvement
programme for major shopping parades in the borough, while Enfield has worked in
effective partnership with a major new store, and Jobcentre Plus, to secure job
opportunities for local residents.
Barking and Dagenham: shopping parades
The council is investing £1 million in a programme designed to make five local
parades more attractive places to shop, and improve trading conditions.
Detailed consultation with shoppers and traders has taken place and
improvements will include better paving and lighting, as well as enhanced
parking facilities, shop front improvements, signage and identity measures and
additional tree planting.
A directory of Barking and Dagenham shopping parades will be produced in
time for Christmas 2009 to promote local businesses and encourage people to
visit the shops on their doorstep. Whether people need a new washing machine
or groceries, the aim is to encourage them to consider businesses in their
community that provide jobs to local people and keep their local parades alive.
Barking and Dagenham is also expanding local retail associations across the
borough to help give a voice and some support to struggling businesses in
tough economic times. The associations are an ideal means of discussing and
delivering the training and business support measures that local traders need.
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Enfield: Regenerating Edmonton Green
Constructed in the 1960s, the Edmonton Green Centre occupies an area of 11
hectares and comprises of 450,000 sq ft of lettable space including retail units,
market stalls, community use and offices. Working in partnership with the new
centre owners, St Modwen, the regeneration scheme has sought to improve
both the commercial and social aspects of the centre. The first two phases of
the regeneration programme, which saw some £100 million invested, was
completed in December 2008 and included the following:
I refurbished library
I new bus station
I new primary care centre
I new leisure centre
I opening of new Asda store
I the creation of a new retail concourse with 22 units
I 440 additional car parking spaces
I 176 new residential apartments (100 per cent affordable/key worker)
I refurbished multi storey car park, which won “Refurbished Car Park of the
Year 2008”
I new purpose built shop-mobility service
I new public toilets in the market square.
A key part of the project has been the Edmonton Jobsnet Shop which aimed to
help ensure that as many jobs as possible in the new 66,000sq ft ASDA store
went to local unemployed people. As part of the initiative (in partnership with
Job Centre Plus and the council’s Job Brokerage service) a range of skills
training courses has been set up to help people progress their employment
plans, including the involvement of the council’s occupational therapy staff to
help people strengthen their employment prospects by improving their health
and fitness. 141 of 300 ASDA jobs went to Enfield residents.
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Finally in this section, we showcase two initiatives – in Wandsworth and Richmond
– which offer council grants to support town centre improvement schemes.
Wandsworth: town centre improvement scheme
This scheme provides loans and grants to businesses to refurbish and improve
their premises. It is designed to make a difference to the business and add
value to the property as well as improving the immediate local area. The
scheme focuses on the the borough’s five town centres and also other
significant shopping areas. It provides interest free loans and/or grants of up
to a third of eligible costs from a minimum of £1,000 to maximum of £15,000
per eligible address. Any part of a project which is intended to have a
green/environmental impact will be assessed at 50 per cent. The following are
examples of eligible works:
I restoring or replacing shop fronts in a style appropriate to the building as
well as external works to the front of the building
I bringing vacant or underused basement or upper floors back into use
I structural, internal works to increase or enhance the business and / or the
commercial space
I providing access for people with disabilities
I improving eyesore sites and buildings and improving shared rear access
ways
I improvements that benefit a number of businesses and premises in carrying
out minor improvements to the external fabric of the area; such as signage,
local advertising, banners, hanging baskets and other environmental
improvements that would help improve the area and the businesses
located there.
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Richmond: opportunities for improving town centres
Town centres across the borough are being invited to develop and submit plans
for improving their trading environment, attract new investment and enhance
the shopping experience for residents, encouraging them to shop locally and
reduce the need to travel. Grants of up to 50 per cent are available to match
locally generated funds and sponsorship. The intention is to give financial
assistance to those schemes that show promise of becoming self-financing in
a period of up to three years. Eligible schemes will be led by a town centre
management board, trade or similar organisation or an appropriate steering-
group. Proposals can include markets and other community events, ‘shop local’
schemes, research or marketing training, or initiatives that contribute to a
cleaner and greener environment. Initiatives that help to address underlying
issues, such as through research or marketing training, are also welcome.
A light touch is taken to the application and monitoring process, so that
groups are not discouraged from applying.
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Advice and support for businesses
A number of London boroughs have reconfigured or refreshed their economic
development strategies in the light of the recession, particularly reviewing how
best to provide access to advice and support for struggling businesses and
enterprises. Most councils have provided comprehensive information for businesses
looking for help on their websites, and many are organising business breakfast or
other consultation and advice events to reach out to engage with their local
business communities, and to learn more about how the economic downturn is
impacting locally. Croydon provides a useful example, and also organised a
financial summit with local banks.
Croydon Support for Enterprise
A new Enterprise Development Company (EDC) has been established to promote
Croydon’s economic profile. The EDC is an independent ‘not for profit limited
company' that will build on successful partnerships between the council and
the business community to drive and deliver a coordinated economic strategy
that creates an environment for local, national and international businesses to
thrive. This represents a transformation in how Croydon promotes itself and
provides a single voice to lobby for investment and growth. The EDC will have
access to a broad range of sources of public and private sector funding,
including a core grant from the Council, LEGI contracts, European Regional
Development Fund income as well as sponsorships and other income from the
private sector.
A number of initiatives are underway in Croydon to support local businesses
during the credit crunch (as set out in the council’s Economic Recovery Plan).
These include a hotline ‘phone number for immediate access to advice, a
Financial Summit held with local banks to ensure the promotion of lending
opportunities, and specific advice pages for business at:
www.croydoncrunch.org
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Help for London's ‘Distressed’ Small Businesses
A growing number of London councils are supporting and funding the Capital
Enterprise initiative to provide ‘distressed’ small businesses that have been
negatively affected by the recession with a specialist ‘Business Turnaround’
advisor. The service will provide small businesses with additional expertise and
practical advice so that the business can make the necessary changes to give
them a good chance of surviving the recession, saving jobs and returning to
growth when an easier economic climate returns.
So far, eight councils have provided funds to their local enterprise agency to
deliver the programme, including the City of London, Camden, Islington,
Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark and Westminster.
More London councils are looking to follow suit.
The Business Turnaround service was launched in most participating boroughs
in June 2009 and has the support and backing of major banks, such HSBC and
Barclays, and Business Link in London. See: www.capitalenterprise.org
Bromley ‘Boost Your Business ‘ Events
Bromley is organising a series of events across the borough bringing support
agencies to businesses in specific geographical areas, working with Business
Link, local colleges and other partners. The events include:
I exhibitions by business support agencies, and opportunities to speak
directly with advisers
I opportunities to book follow-up sessions with Business Link
I training sessions on hot business topics such as marketing on a budget,
reducing costs and customer care
I networking opportunities with other local businesses
I opportunities to promote by taking an exhibition stand.
Bromley has distributed a ‘Bromley Means Business’ leaflet to around 9,000
businesses promoting the events, including information on other support
services available.
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Bromley Business E-Bulletin
Bromley has also launched a regular email bulletin for businesses based in the
borough. The e-bulletin – which is sent out every two months to more than
2,000 businesses – allows the council to keep in regular contact with the local
business community to ensure messages about support initiatives and events
get straight to mailboxes.
Many councils also recognise that access to loan finance is currently a key issue for
their businesses. Kensington and Chelsea has set up a business recovery service
backed by a £130,000 small-loan scheme and is planning further initiatives to help
local business survive the downturn. Lambeth is also introducing an enhanced loan
facility (see below).
Lambeth Business Support Programme
Lambeth First, the LSP, is expanding the support available to local businesses
in the borough through the provision of a dedicated financial advice and loan
service. This initiative will bring in additional resources to the council to
provide dedicated specialist financial advice and business planning support for
small businesses. The key outcomes are:
I an increase of £400,000 of loan finance via a small business loan fund
through an established London-wide provider of loan finance (GLE
OneLondon) with a £100,000 investment from Lambeth levering in an
additional £300,000 from GLE OneLondon
I an enhanced business support and financial / business planning service
building upon existing services for business in Lambeth
I an enhanced Business Desk provision to include “front end” financial advice
and signposting and referral to the two services outlined above.
It is estimated that 100 businesses will receive initial business planning
support in 2009/10 (compared to approximately 20 in 2008/09) and 12 to 15
businesses will be provided with specialist financial readiness support
(compared to three in 2008/09). The £400,000 loan fund will support
approximately 26 businesses (approx. £15,000 per business) and is not time
limited – funds will be recycled as they are repaid by businesses.
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Work in progress
initiatives in development
For the final section of this booklet we focus on responses to the impacts of the
recession on major housing schemes. The capital faces a desperate shortage of
affordable housing, with some 350,000 households on council waiting lists, 50,000
households in temporary accommodation and 27,000 families in unsuitable,
severely overcrowded homes. A partnership approach is essential for maintaining
development plans, especially working with the new Homes and Communities
Agency (HCA).
Showcase One London borough of Hackney
Woodberry Down Regeneration Programme
Woodberry Down Regeneration is one of the largest regeneration initiatives of
its kind in Europe. The programme is an exemplar estate-based regeneration
managed by the council’s partner ALMO, Hackney Homes. The initiative aims to
comprehensively redevelop a failing and sprawling council estate into a
vibrant, mixed community of choice. While the scheme is about much more
than just bricks and mortar, and is driven by a community-led ethos, it is
founded on an ambitious and challenging programme of development that
releases the latent value of well-located land close to a tube station, increasing
the number of homes from 1,980 to nearly 5,000. It is expected that most of
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these new homes will be built on the core area currently owned by the council
over the next 15-20 years, together with a new community centre, health
centre, academy school, children’s centre, a training centre and landscape and
leisure areas planned in for the early phases.
The council and Hackney Homes have responded swiftly to the threats
associated with the recession and declining housing market. The Masterplan
had been carefully prepared over a two year period with flexibility to address
housing market changes by adjusting the numbers and types of affordable
housing. In addition, £16 million of government funding has been obtained
from the HCA to broker the start of phase 1 of the development and access the
substantive investment of the appointed partner Berkley Homes, who will build
the first phase. An historic ground breaking event took place in March this year
to begin construction work on 117 new social rented homes for existing
residents is a real achievement.
“The Woodberry Down scheme is not just about construction. It is about the
communities that live here, and realising the benefits of these new homes for
everyone, maintaining the area’s unique community spirit and pride and
harnessing this with the opportunities the regeneration creates and enabling
people to create opportunities for themselves.”
Hackney Mayor Jules Pipe
Hackney was one of the very first beneficiaries of this HCA funding to support
the kick start of affordable housing development through the recession.
Indeed, the HCA Kick Start programme is named after the Kick Start initiative
pioneered at Woodberry Down.
The procurement strategy for phases 2-5 of the development is based on a
model that allows the options of:
I stock transfer
I continuing council/Hackney Homes-led development using a registered
social landlord
I developer partnership with flexibilities to tackle the changing economic
climate over the next 15-20 years and residents appetite for stock transfer.
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The intention is to maximize both government funding and private sector
investment. The continuing development of the wider programme of
regeneration focusing on the community’s social and economic needs also
provides the foundation that will be needed to transform the current
environment for existing residents into one of the best in London.
For further information:
Robin Smith, programme director, Hackney Homes
Telephone: 020 8356 1713
E-mail: robin.smith@hackneyhomes.org.uk
www.hackneyhomes.org.uk/hhs-woodberry-down
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Showcase Two London borough of Brent
South Kilburn regeneration programme
South Kilburn is a New Deal for Communities area, awarded £50 million in 2001
to tackle deprivation and ‘to create a desirable place to live, learn and work’.
Physical regeneration has been a top priority for the council to secure
improvements to local housing and the estate’s built environment. South
Kilburn has the largest remaining concentration of council-owned housing in
the borough and is the last large housing estate in Brent that requires renewal.
As part of the council’s plans to improve local housing, large scale voluntary
stock transfer of housing was pursued with an RSL, but current market
conditions meant this was no longer a viable solution. Given its ambitions for
transforming homes in the area, Brent began to look at other options for
delivery. For the longer term the potential of a local asset backed joint venture
vehicle, which would bring together the council’s land with equity of an
equivalent value from a private sector partner, is being explored. In the short
term the council’s focus has been to pursue detailed planning consents for
specific phase one sites with a view to generating decant capacity within South
Kilburn for later sites to come forward. This proactive role taken by the council
will continue to build the momentum for regeneration, while in the medium
and long term safeguarding the council’s overall vision for South Kilburn.
For further information:
Andy Donald, assistant director regeneration
Telephone: 020 8937 1049
Email: andrew.donald@brent.gov.uk
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Showcase Three London borough of Southwark
Aylesbury estate regeneration programme
The regeneration of the Aylesbury estate aims to put residents at the heart of
the decision making process. The estate encompasses 28.5 hectares and is
home to more than 7,500 people. Since 1999, the Aylesbury New Deal for
Communities (NDC) has been working in partnership with Southwark council
to deliver a £56 million social programme on the estate. Benefits for residents
have included more jobs, greater economic prosperity, improved educational
results for young people on the estate and lower crime levels.
To continue the transformation of the area, improvements to the physical
environment were also needed. In 2005 Southwark made the decision to
demolish the estate in stages over the next 15 to 20 years. The redevelopment
plans will see the phased demolition of 2,700 homes and the creation of
a vibrant sustainable community with 4,200 new mixed-tenure homes
designed to an excellent standard, improved open spaces, better community
facilities, safer streets, and improved accessibility to public transport
cycling and walking.
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The council and the HCA have formed a strategic partnership to find a way
forward in the current economic crisis. The HCA approved a bid from London
and Quadrant Housing Trust for a substantial ‘kick start’ grant to support the
development of affordable housing in March. This allowed London and Quadrant
to begin work on the first Aylesbury site and work is now well underway. This
phase comprises 260 homes (134 of these being affordable) and a resource
centre for adults with physical, neurological and sensory disabilities.
Southwark is continuing to work closely with the HCA to discuss further
funding options for the Aylesbury regeneration programme and other
regeneration schemes operating across Southwark.
For further information:
Georgina Hackett, Aylesbury regeneration team
Telephone: 020 7525 4947
Email: georgina.hackett@southwark.gov.uk
Showcase Four London borough of Westminster
A new housebuilding company
A new limited company has been set up to take charge of Westminster’s
housebuilding programme. Some 465 homes are scheduled to be built by the
private firm which, the council says, will have more financial freedom than the
local authority to fund the project. More than a quarter of the homes - 127 -
will be sold on the open market to fund the development, which has received a
£36 million grant from the Homes & Communities Agency. The council has also
set up a charity, Westminster Community Homes, to manage shared ownership
and social rented properties once they are completed. The four-year project
involves building homes on brownfield land and under-used sites on existing
estates to ease overcrowding. Work is set to begin in August 2009 on the first
homes: flats in the ground floor area of a tower block in the borough’s
Westbourne ward and Queen’s Park.
For further information:
Steve Moore, deputy director of housing
Telephone: 020 7641 3211
Email: spmoore@westminster.gov.uk
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Resources
Useful further information
The I&DEA has a specific section of its website devoted to support for councils on
dealing with the impact of the recession, including a series of ‘how to’ guides and a
recession ‘check list’ of actions:
www.idea.gov.uk
Solace has produced a pamphlet of essays around coping with the recession at the
local level:
www.solace.org.uk/library
The Local Government Association has produced two ‘Global Slowdown, Local
Solutions’ publications that highlight some of the work councils are doing to help
people and businesses during the recession:
www.lga.gov.uk/lga/publications
The Child Poverty Unit has produced ‘Take up the challenge’ about the role of local
services in increasing take up of benefits and tax credits:
www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters
A joint report by LGA and NCVO called ‘Backing communities: local solutions’,
highlights work that local authorities are doing with third sector partners to
support local people through the recession:
www.lga.gov.uk/lga/publications
‘Back to business: local solutions’ is a joint report by the LGA and the British
Chambers of Commerce showcasing excellence in business and council
engagement and promoting the principles that underpin that effective
relationships:
www.lga.gov.uk/lga/publications
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Capital Ambition
59½ Southwark Street
London SE1 0AL
www.londoncouncils.gov.uk
020 7934 9956
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