Investing in Communities
Investing in Communities (IiC) was launched in 2003 by the East of England Development Agency. It is a programme aimed at changing public sector responses to tackling inequality, exclusion and social deprivation, benefiting deprived communities in the region over a 10 year period.
IiC will be founded on strategic, needs-based, long-term planning at a regional and sub-regional level. This will be achieved through encouraging partnerships to better co-ordinate the £20 billion of public sector funding available to tackle disadvantage and exclusion across the region, leading to long-term community regeneration.
The programme is delivered through a joined-up approach to community regeneration. Sub-regional economic partnerships (SREPs) are co-ordinating this new approach within their areas by leading the development of IiC Partnerships. The partnerships are made up of decision makers from public, private and voluntary and community sectors.
What has been achieved so far?
Available IiC funding to date has concentrated on supporting the new IiC Partnerships to develop their capacity. There has also been some regional activity and research to support the development of the new programme. Information about progress within IiC at a regional level and all IiC documents can be found on the EEDA website at www.eeda.org.uk
All Partnerships in the region have been asked to develop long-term joint investment strategies, which will show how IiC will influence all spending on regeneration in each area. The draft strategies are due to be submitted to EEDA in September 2005.
The Bedfordshire and Luton IiC Partnership has worked as an informal group of interested stakeholders facilitated by BLEDP since February 2003, and was consulted by EEDA as IiC was developed. BLEDP and its partners have found the development phase of IiC extremely challenging, both in terms of capacity to engage effectively with EEDA and each other but also to understand a very different approach to regeneration funding. At first we approached IiC as another isolated funding stream, but in late 2004 the 'penny dropped' and the Partnership revised its approach. Since December we have concentrated on capacity to develop the long-term joint investment strategy.
Where are we now?
The IiC Partnership Interim Board, with some of the practical issues of capacity addressed, the IiC Partnership was still lacking ability to take decisions in terms of representation and accountability. Consequently, the IiC Partnership has formed an Interim Board made up of Bedfordshire and Luton's LSPs, BLEDP, EEDA and two representatives from community & voluntary sector.
Contacts:
IiC Development Manager Beds & Luton Jon Billington 01525 862999 email: jonbillington@bledp.co.uk
Partnership Projects Manager Alex Francis 01525 862999
email: alexfrancis@bledp.co.uk
