Assessment of the Market Towns Initiative: a summaryAssessment of the Market Towns Initiative: a...

Assessment of the Market TownsInitiative: a summary

1

Assessment of the Market TownsInitiative: a summary

Market Towns TeamCountryside AgencyJohn Dower HouseCrescent PlaceCheltenhamGL50 3RA

www.countryside.gov.uk

Telephone: 01242 521381

Fax: 01242 584270

September 2004 Front cover photograph of Malton © Countryside Agency/Simon Warner

2

Assessment of the Market Towns Initiative: a summary

ContentsPage

1. Introduction 3

2. The healthcheck approach 5

3. The partnership approach 9

4. Strategic fit 13

5. Funding 15

6. Access to resources 17

7. Delivering the MTI 18

8. The future 19

9. Conclusions 21

Appendix 1: Statistical information 22

The information contained in this publication represents a summary of the key issues and points of viewthat arose during the research. For each of the issues discussed, we present here the broad consensus ofopinion, not necessarily the views of any individuals or particular group.The more detailed researchfindings are available in the full report, Assessment of the Market Towns Initiative, which has been produced forthe Countryside Agency and Defra by Entec.This is available on the Countryside Agency’s website atwww.countryside.gov.uk/market-towns

3


The Market Towns InitiativeMarket towns have a unique role to play, offering allelements of life, both economic and social. But whilesome towns are thriving, many others haveexperienced decline in recent years. The impact ofout-of-town shopping centres, closure of livestockmarkets and increased mobility for many peoplehave reduced the viability of high street businesses,social cohesiveness and the quality and diversity ofservices.These have had an impact in both the townsand in the surrounding countryside (or ‘hinterland’).

The Government’s Rural White Paper (November2000) emphasised the importance of market towns,and the growing concern about their future. Wedeveloped a web-based Market Towns Toolkit, ofwhich the main element is the healthcheck, to helpaddress these concerns. We are also testing new ideasand demonstrating solutions to the issuesexperienced by market towns, specifically through aprogramme of Beacon Towns.

We are providing direct support to 235 towns inpartnership with others (especially the RDAs)through the MTI. Its aim is to bring a new lease oflife to towns so that they provide convenient accessto the services that people depend on, and is basedon the principles that:

• market towns should be the basis of sustainablerural communities;

• local communities in market towns and theirsurrounding countryside should have a say in thefuture of their market towns;

• the revitalisation of market towns should improvepeople’s quality of life, provide access to essentialservices, jobs and goods, and improve thediversity and vitality of rural economies.

To date the Initiative has consisted of:

• a web-based toolkit available to communities inall market towns, giving advice on how to carryout a healthcheck, prepare an action plan andseek sources of funding and advice;

• support for coordinators (who help communitiesto carry out healthchecks) and project managers(who help deliver action plans);

• testing out solutions to the issues that affectmarket towns through research and the BeaconTowns programme;

• an electronic learning network that enablesmarket town professionals to exchange ideas andgood practice;

• support for Action for Market Towns;

• support for England’s Market Towns Forum.

In addition, we run grant programmes, such as theRural Transport Partnership fund, which support thedelivery of action plans.The RDAs are alsosupporting material improvements in market towns.

1. IntroductionThis document summarises recent research that we commissioned into the successes, andobstacles to success, experienced by market towns involved in the Market TownsInitiative (MTI). The research, which forms part of our programme of monitoring andevaluating the MTI, draws out the lessons to be learned for the Initiative’s futuredevelopment. The findings will also help to identify for partner organisations, such as therural development agencies (RDAs), how market towns in their area have gained fromtaking part and what else needs to be done to ensure continued success.

What is a market town?Market towns are towns in rural England with a

variety of backgrounds, usually with populations

from 2,000 to 20,000. In defining market towns,

the town’s ability to serve people in both the

town and its surrounding countryside is more

significant than population size. Some towns are

thriving, some are in decline, but all have the

potential to carry out a healthcheck and prepare

an action plan to ensure a stronger future.

4


The market towns toolkitThe toolkit is a web-based source of information forcommunities who wish to take an active part inrevitalising their market town and its surroundingcountryside. It can be found on our website atwww.countryside.gov.uk/market-towns.

The toolkit contains practical guidance andinformation for local people who want to take anactive part in revitalising market towns including themarket towns healthcheck handbook, thehealthcheck worksheets, and information aboutsources of advice and financial support.

The market towns healthcheckThe healthcheck helps local people to identify theeconomic, environmental and social strengths andweaknesses of their town and surroundingcountryside, and to create a vision for the future asthe basis for an action plan. It:

• covers the whole town and its surroundingcountryside;

• enables people to look at a wide range of issuesthat affect quality of life;

• can be used by people in market towns of anysize; and

• consists of a series of worksheets containingquestions about environmental, social andeconomic issues.

Carrying out a healthcheck requires commitmentfrom all members of the community.The processshould be led by a partnership of market towninterests, and supported by a market townscoordinator.

The action planA market town action plan is based on the findingsof the healthcheck. It sets out a vision for a newly-revitalised town and its surrounding countryside andexplains the projects that will achieve the vision. Itdemonstrates that the pressures and opportunitiesidentified during the healthcheck are beingaddressed. Implementation of the action plan shouldbe managed by a project manager.

Research methodologyIn order to identify good practice and any lessonslearned to date, we asked Entec UK Ltd to carry outresearch on our behalf. The research, which tookplace during February and March 2004, consisted ofthe following.

• A national questionnaire, which was sent tobetween two and four members of each markettown partnership, including the partnershipofficer and chairperson.

• Telephone interviews with officers from theCountryside Agency, Government Offices and theRDAs.

• Telephone interviews with 108 MTI partnershipofficers and 209 members.

• Detailed face-to-face interviews with selected MTIproject coordinators and other partnershipmembers.These interviews focused on localmatters within the context of the general themesalready identified.

The research focussed on the following generalthemes:

• the main difficulties faced by market towns inensuring the long-term success of their townsand how these difficulties might be overcome;

• support received by market towns fromgovernment and other partners, in terms ofresources and links with other plans, programmesand strategies;

• issues affecting the vitality of the town, itsregeneration, and the part played by the MTI;

• changes that might affect the role of markettowns in the future and how the MTI helps townsto position themselves to benefit from thesechanges;

• knowledge and support for the MTI, and how itssuccesses have been disseminated; and

• the future direction of the MTI.

5


Healthchecks: the processHealthchecks have been completed, or are nearingcompletion, by most of the market towns that areinvolved in the MTI. Many towns have alsocompleted action plans.The healthchecksthemselves were carried out by a range ofindividuals, including MTI coordinators,consultants and graduates.

Elements of success

• Many towns recognise the value of thehealthcheck as a way to engage with local peopleand raise the profile of their town.

• The more closely local people are involved in thehealthcheck process, the greater their sense ofownership.

• The action plan that follows the healthcheckprovides a key focus for towns, and is often seenas central to the work that is then undertaken.

Obstacles to success

• Whether they are consultants, members of thepartnership or volunteers, it can be difficult tofind the right people to carry out thehealthcheck.

• The main difficulties that people cited in actuallyundertaking a healthcheck were the timescalesinvolved, the size of the task, getting peopleinvolved and accessing the right information.Difficulties can often be overcome with morefunding, greater reliance on local knowledge andon help from partners and experts, and by thoseinvolved dedicating more of their own time.However, difficulties cannot always be overcome.

• Some officers said that they found the process ofundertaking a healthcheck rather daunting, andmany partnerships and coordinators experienceddifficulties when focusing on delivering thehealthcheck.

• There was sometimes a lack of clarity about thefuture benefits of the healthcheck (eg its role inproviding baseline information for funding bids).

• Many of the partnerships that embark on thehealthcheck are newly formed, so have littleexperience in commissioning and managingprojects. This can mean that healthchecks arepoorly focussed, leading to delays in them beingadopted.This has had repercussions in terms ofthe preparation of action plans, and theidentification and delivery of projects.

• Delays in the process can tarnish the MTI’s image,as can misconceptions that there are significantfunds available through the MTI.

2. The healthcheck approachThe MTI healthcheck provides a focal point for activity, a medium through which localcommunities can express both local and strategic issues, and a model for widespreadadoption. It is generally seen as a successful way to address key issues within the town.However, reservations were expressed about both the resources required to prepare ahealthcheck and its usefulness as a strategy document.

Key messageA pre-requisite of successful delivery, and of a

focussed and timely healthcheck, is to draw up a

thorough brief and identify an individual with

experience in commissioning and managing

projects.

The ability of MTI officers or partnerships to

access support and advice, either from a local

authority or from the Countryside Agency, has a

direct bearing on the quality of completed

healthchecks and action plans.

6


Healthchecks: the benefitsMany benefits are perceived to come from thehealthcheck approach.

Elements of successHealthchecks are considered to be valuable in:

• establishing a useful ‘snapshot’ of activity, helpingto identify new issues and refine old ones, andforming a base of information from which toproduce an action plan;

• providing the foundation for funding bids;

• engaging local communities.


• Healthchecks require significant time andresources. As a consequence, they are sometimesconsidered to have delayed the process ofidentifying and starting projects and putting theminto action.

• As the healthcheck provides only a snapshot ofthe town’s situation, some towns would like toreview and update the information, yet areprevented from doing so because of the resourcesrequired.

How healthchecks fit with otherappraisal processesSome towns may already have taken part inprocesses that are similar to the healthcheck,before joining the MTI.

Elements of success

• In such cases, many towns still considered thehealthcheck to be a useful complementaryexercise, particularly because its remit is oftenbroader than more focussed or specific studies.

• Regional officers felt that the healthcheckprovided the town with the opportunity toreview and possibly identify new issues if a townappraisal or the like was already in place.

• Several towns that are outside the MTI havecarried out their own healthcheck or a variationof the healthcheck, indicating that they considerit to be a useful process to undertake.

• Towns that are taking part in the emerging SmallTowns Initiative in the South East (beingdeveloped by SEEDA) will have to undertake ahealthcheck. And in the North West, thehealthcheck approach is applied widely as part ofthe sub-regional arrangements for rural funding.


• Perhaps understandably, some towns that hadcarried out similar appraisal work were reluctantto embark on another exercise, considering thatthe healthcheck was another “hoop to jumpthrough”.This is especially the case where plansor projects following the original appraisal havenot been put into action, or where delivery hasbeen postponed while the healthcheck isunderway.This can lead to disenchantment withthe process.

Key messageHealthchecks provide a valuable source of

information about a town and surrounding

settlements at any one point in time, and help

to clarify issues for action.

To make the most of the knowledge gained

through the healthcheck, they should be

reviewed on a regular basis.

Key messageIt should be possible for the findings from

existing appraisal work to form the core around

which additional healthcheck information is

placed, providing the existing information is

up-to-date and relevant.

The healthcheck is now a recognised tool for

collecting baseline information. It is therefore

likely that towns undertaking appraisals will

follow the general principles established by the

healthcheck approach. Such appraisals should

become increasingly complementary to the MTI

process.

7


Addressing common issuesNot surprisingly, many of the same issues arisewhen towns undertake their healthcheck.Theextent to which these issues are taken forward atlocal, regional and national levels, however, varies.

Elements of success

• Strategic issues identified through the healthcheckare generally being collated in the towns throughspecific strategies, plans and programmes and bypartnership working.This can be on an individualtown basis or through the establishment ofregional market town forums. For example, RuralAction East in the East of England is bringingtogether regional issues at a strategic level.Partnership working with other towns or withother organisations allows common issues to beraised.

Regional market town forumsRegional forums have been developed, or arebeing developed, in most of the regions as anintegrated, strategic resource for market townrevitalisation.Their purpose is for individual MTIpartnerships to join together with otherpartnerships and with outside agencies (such asthe RDA, English Heritage, Business in theCommunity, and Action for Market Towns) toengage with each other at the regional level. Bypromoting joined-up thinking, forum memberscan share good practice and access additionalfunding. Although a further tier within the MTIstructure, they provide a common point ofreference, advice and support which MTIpartnerships and officers welcome. At their best,the regional forums are influencing stakeholdersto orientate their own programmes towardsaddressing the issues identified by the markettowns.

© C

ountryside Agency/C

harlie Hedley

© C

ountryside Agency/A

nne-Katrin Purkiss

© C

ountryside Agency/N

ick Turner

Many of the same issues, such as transport,affordable housing and service provision, arisewhen towns undertake their healthcheck.

8


• At a national level, the Countryside Agency hascollated a list of key issues for market towns,following analysis of many completedhealthchecks.The Beacon Towns programme is arecognised mechanism through which thesecommon issues and solutions can be explored. Itis envisaged that, through shared information andgood practice, the experiences of the towns thatare involved in this initiative will provide avaluable resource to other market towns in thefuture.


• While collation and dissemination of commonissues generally appears to be working well at thetown level, mechanisms at regional and nationallevel appear to be less consistent.

• Also less clear is how these common issues andthemes are being taken forward into action.

Gloucestershire Market Towns ForumThe Gloucestershire Market Towns Forum is anindependent network of representatives from thecounty’s rural towns, parishes and communityorganisations.The Forum, which was established in1995, is core funded through the South WestRegional Development Agency, Gloucestershire RuralCommunity Council and the Countryside Agency.It provides a networking forum that allowsorganisations to exchange ideas and support eachother.Twenty-two towns from Gloucestershire areinvolved, of which seven are part of the Market andCoastal Towns Initiative.The forum has produced a‘community toolkit’ which provides guidance tocommunities about getting projects off the groundand sustaining them in the long term.The forum,which has European, national and regional links,assists with the following:

• identifying and helping to secure external funding;

• providing key resources, equipment, skills and professional expertise;

• training in personal and committee skills.

Key messageWhile various mechanisms do exist to share

knowledge and experience, and to identify

common issues, the picture varies across the

regions.

There is potential for the regional evaluations

that are currently being done to identify

common strategic issues, and their findings

collated at a national level. A number of regions

are doing or are about to do a regional

evaluation of the MTI which should allow the

MTI work to be built upon.

The Gloucestershire Market Towns Forum helps communitypartnerships to coordinate consultation. Here, local people arebeing consulted about plans to redevelop a site in Dursley.

© V

ale Vision/H

annah Reynolds Associates


The make up of partnershipsMarket town partnerships differ markedly fromtown to town in terms of their size andcomposition.There is generally strong publicsector representation, but with less active privatesector involvement.The status of the partnershipsalso varies; some are voluntary organisations,while others have development trust or charitablestatus.

Elements of success

• Partnership members appear to have found thewhole process broadly positive and havebenefited from access to contacts, networking anda feeling of achievement.

• Partnerships have been established in a variety ofways; some have evolved from existingpartnerships or groups, others through theinitiative of local authorities or regionalCountryside Agency representatives.Thosepartnerships that already existed when the MTIcame along may previously have been focussingon particular issues for the town, and as suchhave taken on a broader remit through the MTI.

• The public sector typically comprises aroundtwo-thirds of the total number of seats perpartnership (including a mix of local authority,county council, town councils, hinterlandparishes and other public sector organisations).Voluntary and community sector groupsrepresent around a quarter of a partnership’smembers.

• The size of a partnership in itself does not appearto influence its success or accountability.

• Some partnerships, particularly those wherecoordinators are in place, act in a strategic way,setting goals and agendas; others take on more ofa delivery role.

• It is clear that many individuals on partnershipsare already actively involved in other local groupsor organisations.


• Over-reliance on key individuals (particularlyvolunteers) within the MTI can mean that only alimited number of people are contributing. As aresult, partnerships may not have access to thefull range of skills required.

• Some towns expressed concerns that participationby individual partnership members is waning.This may be because their initial enthusiasm forthe initiative is starting to ‘wear off’, because theyhave succeeded in what they wanted to achieve,or because they are ‘burnt out’.

• Those who are putting in their own time, eitheras volunteers or from the private sector, are oftenmaking considerable sacrifices to be there.Maintaining their enthusiasm can be difficult,especially where there are long lead-in times toproject implementation.

• Many MTI partnerships have to work hard to beinclusive. It can be very difficult to achieve theinvolvement of private sector organisations, suchas individual local businesses and business clubs;they therefore represent only a small part of manytowns’ partnerships. However, businesses canbenefit a great deal from engagement with thepartnership, especially when the majority offunding on offer is economically focussed.Similarly, partnerships recognise that youngpeople are also traditionally difficult to engage,and are not always represented on partnerships.

• Similarly, while partnerships recognise thatcommunity involvement has been one of the keysuccesses of the MTI they are also aware that theirability to reach out to hinterland communitieshas been less successful.

3. The partnership approachThe MTI process is characterised by diverse forms of partnerships, which make the mostof existing relationships and seek to minimise conflicts of interest.

9

10


How partnerships workPartnerships focus on project delivery, funding andtheir future role and constitution.The towns saythat they give broadly equal consideration tosocial, economic and environmental issues, butthat there is pressure from significant fundingsources to demonstrate economic benefits.

Elements of success

• Generally speaking, no single group dominatespartnerships, although public bodies such as thedistrict or town/community council areperceived to have most influence.This is perhapsnot surprising given that these organisations areoften the source of most of the funding, are theregulatory body and have most experience inregeneration activities.

• A significant proportion of towns have developedmuch looser ties with local authorities; in thesecases, the MTI has been a way for the town tocreate a role for itself, develop feelings of localdistinctiveness and set an agenda that is differentfrom that of the local authority.This appears to bethe case in towns that are not the main townwithin the local authority’s area, where the MTItown may feel its voice has not been heard in thepast.

• Many MTI partnerships are structured around aseries of topic groups which concentrate onparticular issues, such as transport, ICT, and towncentre enhancements.

• Social, economic and environmental issues arebroadly perceived to be given equal considerationwithin the towns.

• Partnership meetings tend to focus on projectdelivery, funding and the future role andconstitution of the partnership. Significant otherissues discussed include transport, the localeconomy and the environment.


• Where organisations do dominate individualpartnerships, it is usually the local authority.Thiscomes through the local authority’s ability toprovide resources (in terms of officer time,administration, advice and funding) or throughthe authority taking on delivery of particularprojects.

• Although there appears to be a balance betweensocial, environmental and economic issues, thereis pressure from significant funding sources todemonstrate economic benefits. In some caseswhere funding is being applied for a particularproject, emphasis is placed on the number of jobsor other economic benefits that will be created,even when the project itself is essentially a socialor environmental one.

• At times there is confusion about the roles thatthe Countryside Agency and the RDAs play in theMTI.The input of the relevant CountrysideAgency and RDA officers is considered to workbest when they have ownership, experience andresponsibility for the MTI.

Key messageIt is good practice for partnerships to include

topic groups, sitting under the main

management or steering group. This structure

allows the topic groups to concentrate more on

the specifics of delivery, leaving the steering

group to attend to strategy and process. Local

people can also air their views on issues of

interest to them, without being lost within

wider partnership discussions.

Key messageSuccessful partnerships need to include a range

of local public, community and business groups.

Where existing structures exist, opportunities to

build upon them should be taken; where there

are none, the importance of inviting officers

from the local authority and people from within

the community who are known to have energy,

knowledge and experience is crucial.

The key to getting the job done appears to be

the commitment of members to the partnership

and the resources they can bring to it.

11


Relations within partnershipsAlthough many partnerships function withoutconflict, tensions are not unusual at differenttimes in the process and between differentmembers or groups. Most partnerships includemembers from the town council, and it is notuncommon for the two to run into conflict,particularly during the MTI’s initial stages.Difficulties can also arise in relation to people’sperceptions of the MTI project officer’s role.

Elements of success

• In spite of initial tensions, the experience formany partnerships is that, over time, the towncouncil becomes an active and truly genuinepartner. It may, for example, come to take a moreactive role in regeneration, perhaps through itsinvolvement in community grants. And in somedual-town partnerships, the MTI has been thecatalyst for town councils to come together as amore powerful voice. MTI partnerships and towncouncils also frequently work well together onindividual projects.

• Steps can be taken to minimise anymisunderstandings about the project officer’s role.This includes agreeing a clear job description,which is signed up to by all partnershipmembers.Towns also say that project officers aremore effective, and have a higher profile, if theyare within the market town, rather than at anadministrative centre elsewhere.


• Where town councils are hostile to the MTI thismay be because they are struggling with theconcept of an unelected regeneration body, feelthreatened by the MTI (in that the partnershipcan access funds over which the town council hasonly limited control), or because the partnershipis claiming success for initiatives that the councilitself has already tried to move forward.

• In some cases, tensions between the MTI andtown council appear to be based on individualpersonality clashes as much as anything else.

• Differences in perception about the projectofficer’s role, both within the partnership and bythe officer themselves, are a source of conflict.For example, project officers may be employedthrough the MTI for wide-ranging ruralregeneration work, yet others may feel that theirfocus should be on the town alone.

The pros and cons of partnershipworkingA clear message from the research is thatpartnership working is an effective way to bringdifferent interests together, nurturing communityparticipation and acting as a focal point forfunding.When asked about possibleimprovements, access to more funding, improvingthe balance of membership and greater supportfrom sponsoring agencies came to the fore.

Elements of success

• MTI partnerships have developed a strong trackrecord, and are considered by many to beworking well, particularly in bringing togetherinterest groups and engaging the localcommunity in regeneration of their towns.Members also say that partnerships help to imbuetowns with a more confident, ‘can do’ culture.

• The main benefits from the partnership approachwere cited as: different groups working together;community participation in regeneration; therelationships which are built up; and bringing inpublic funding and maximising project success.Other perceived benefits include raisingaspirations; having a clear vision; using theknowledge and skills of others; generatinginnovative ideas; and building capacity.

• It is widely perceived that partnerships haveenabled significant collaboration and jointworking. Significant liaison is occurring withinpartnerships and with outside organisations.

• There is general recognition by partners that theirinvolvement has been worthwhile.

Key messageAn important way to address any tensions that

arise between the town council and the MTI

partnership is to keep the town council involved

and to maintain good communication.

The project officer’s roles and responsibilities

should be clearly defined, so that

misunderstandings and false expectations are

avoided.

12


Engaging the hinterlandMany partnerships recognise that they could do more to encourage participation from people from the

communities around their town, but it can be hard to achieve.

Some towns have established a hinterland working group to look specifically at this issue. Towns often

invite parish councils to MTI meetings and encourage them to sit on the partnership; they also visit the

hinterland and use newsletters and websites to disseminate information to a wider audience. Briefing

sessions for local authorities at all levels, explaining the benefits of getting involved, have also helped

to facilitate engagement.

While most market towns still provide a range of services to their hinterland communities, it is

recognised that outlying communities will use different towns for different purposes. It is useful

therefore to establish why people might visit the town and to identify ways in which hinterland

communities that do not relate to the town at present might be actively engaged.

• Partnerships facilitate good coordination betweenindividual members and member organisationsand encourage members to think beyond theirown responsibilities. They also enableinformation and best practice exchange throughforums and other more informal groups.

• Community involvement within partnershipsvaries: for some towns it takes the form ofconsultation on individual projects and an annualpublic meeting; other partnerships are moreproactive, encouraging community representationat the board level and funding community-ledinitiatives.


• Partnerships could work better if they were givenmore resources, including funding, staff,administrative assistance and coordinators.

• They would also welcome more support fromagencies, including the Countryside Agency andlocal authorities. Support covers both resourcesgiven by the agencies and the attitudes theydisplay.

• It is widely perceived that partnerships wouldimprove if they achieved wider representation –particularly from the business community, youngpeople and people living in the communitiesaround the town (see ‘Engaging the hinterland’,below).

13


Elements of success

• The use of partnership working, healthchecks andaction plans has raised the profile of market townregeneration within the plans, programmes andstrategies of partner organisations, as well aswithin their day-to-day activities.

• Many towns have formed close links with otherregional policy initiatives and regenerationagencies, although in some towns there is morework still to be done.

• Involvement in the initiative allows communitiesto access a range of partners. And the raisedprofile of market towns means that they are nowseen as central to rural revitalisation.

• With its strong community focus, the MTI fitswithin the objectives of many other regenerationprogrammes and organisations, by helping todeliver against wider community objectives. LocalStrategic Partnerships (LSPs) are illustrative ofthis; close connections between the towns andwith LSPs and other community strategypartnerships are now being established.

• The MTI fits closely alongside regionalprogrammes.Towns have, for example, hadsuccess in obtaining funding through initiativessuch as the Heritage Economic Regenerationscheme and Townscape Heritage Initiative, both ofwhich require community involvement.

• Connections to the MTI are also being made inRegional Planning Guidance and Regional SpatialStrategies. The MTI is also seen as responding toother strategies such as the Regional EconomicStrategy. Links between market towns andhousing strategies are also being made, as well aswith other initiatives such as Leader plus, theSingle Regeneration Budget and RuralRegeneration Zone, especially where funds can beharnessed.

• Many links have been formed with fundingpartners, organisations involved in thepartnership and with organisations who sit inMTI forums. Partnership members and officersoften make the case for market towns within theorganisations they represent and at other forumsand other partnerships on which they sit.

• National agencies such as English Heritage, SportEngland and the Housing Corporation see markettown partnerships as strong bodies throughwhich to deliver support or implement policy.

• Representatives from the RDAs consider thatprojects put forward by MTI towns are consistentwith their aims and objectives.


• Those who do not regard the MTI ascomplementary referred to the number of singleinterest groups, overlap and duplication.

• There is a recognised need for market towns tobe aware of the links to LSPs. Poor awareness oflinks to regional policy by the towns may be dueto a lack of understanding which in turn reflectsa lack of capacity to assimilate the bigger issues.

4. Strategic fitThose who make and implement policy widely recognise the MTI as complementing manyof their own policies and programmes. They also acknowledge the MTI’s role in providinga unique ‘bottom-up’ perspective on the complexities of rural regeneration. And in manytowns, the MTI acts as a focal point for a wide range of strategic partners, helping todeliver common aspirations for rural revitalisation and service provision.

Key messageIn addition to the extent to which the MTI fits

within existing funding programmes, it also has

the ability to influence the future shape and mix

of the market town through closer working with

national and regional organisations.

The Countryside Agency should provide advice

as to how partnerships can strengthen the links

with such organisations, as well as helping

towns to understand the implications for them

of regional and national initiatives (such as

reform of the planning system and transport).

14


Case study – Wolverton Unlimited

A number of market towns face majorpopulation growth and pressure fordevelopment, which can significantly alter thecharacter of the town. Some MTI partnershipsare working with the local planning authorityand developers to make sure that the townbenefits from the changes. However, other townsfacing these pressures do not appear to beattempting to drive the changes to the samedegree.

Wolverton was established in 1838 by theLondon and Birmingham Railway Company asthe first Railway Town. It now sits adjacent toMilton Keynes, which has been identified by theGovernment as a Growth Area.The proposal willresult in the development of 70,000 new homesin Milton Keynes, with provision for 2,000homes within Wolverton.

For Wolverton this presents both problems and opportunities. Within Wolverton affordable housing isbecoming a significant problem, with first-time buyers finding themselves priced out of the market. Thenew development will bring around 600 affordable homes to the town, but residents are concerned aboutwhere these might be situated and their style.

The town’s partnership, ‘Wolverton Unlimited’ is a unique example of community engagement. Its key rolewill be to assess how to influence the strategic location of housing development.

Wolverton has a rich Victorian and industrial heritage, including a canaland a railway station, and the partnership is working to ensure that anynew development is in keeping with these assets, and with the town’sexisting character and ‘sense of place’.

© Stuart Isaac/Photow

ork©

Stuart Isaac/Photowork

15


Elements of success

• A significant amount of funding has beendelivered through the MTI.The total amount ofmoney gained varies widely (Craven Arms inShropshire, a town of just 2,000 people, forexample, has secured £8 million).

• The most significant sources of funding are localauthorities, the Countryside Agency (boththrough the MTI and other Agency programmes)and the RDAs. Other sources include voluntaryand charitable organisations, the Lottery andEuropean funding, as well as the private sectorand national organisations such as EnglishHeritage.

• The funding has delivered a wide range ofbenefits for the towns and hinterlands, both forthose who live there and those who visit.

• MTIs are generally well placed to access a widerange of funding opportunities, bidding for avariety of funds at the same time.The Initiativehas also given towns access to funds for whichthey might not otherwise have been eligible.

• Funding success to date would appear todemonstrate that both MTI officers andpartnership members possess the right skills andknowledge to deliver the action plan.

• In some towns, project officers have been able tocall on the help of the local authority inpreparing and managing funding.This allowsthem more time for community engagement,facilitation and coordination of initiatives. Othershave not had access to such support.

• Where possible, the project officer’s skills shouldreflect the level of funding they will be requiredto access, as well as the support that they arelikely to be given by partners. In a town wherethere are major economic concerns, for example,then an officer with wide funding experience and

project management skills will be moreappropriate that one with strengths incommunity engagement.

• Funding bids are more likely to succeed if clearobjectives for the project have been defined andthe partnership communicates on a regular basiswith funding agencies.


• Where bids have been unsuccessful, it is oftenbecause of a lack of match funding or a poorstrategic fit.

• Applying for funding is commonly considered tobe complicated and resource intensive.Suggestions about how to improve proceduresinclude: streamlining the application process;providing clearer guidance about how to apply,the timescales and what kind of project might besuccessful; quicker decision making; moreflexibility in allowing funding to ‘roll over’between financial years; and greater integrationbetween applications and monitoring procedures.

• It can take longer than expected for funds to beconfirmed.This means that towns sometimesmiss out on funds that are time-restrictive.Similarly, when funds become available at shortnotice (for example towards the end of thefinancial year), towns are required to preparebids in very short timescales.

• The future availability of funding is a matter ofwidespread concern, as towns anticipate thediminution of current funding regimes. MTIfunding from the RDAs is winding down formany market towns, and there are moves todecentralise within some regions. Concerns aremore acute in those towns in which economicissues have predominated and where significantfunding has already been awarded.Towns thathave received less funding, perhaps focussing oncommunity and social concerns, view potential

5. FundingMTI towns have, in general, been successful in securing funding from a wide range ofsources. However, they are concerned now about the future of funding, as fundingregimes change and action plans mature.

16


reductions in funding with less alarm; this is truealso of those partnerships that have set themselvesup as sustainable bodies such as developmenttrusts.

• The ability of town partnerships to access privatesector funding is often limited to small-scaleprojects or support in kind (such as access tooffice space and computers).Yet as traditionalsources of funding decline, towns will need toaccess more funding from the private sector. Ascommercial operators, businesses will need to beconvinced of the benefits they might gain fromprojects.

• Some partnerships or individuals have unrealisticexpectations about the funding that is available,how it can be used, and how long the processtakes.

• Many funders focus on capital projects, ratherthan on those that are revenue based.This impactson the extent to which community objectives –which by their very nature tend to requireongoing financial support – can be met.

Key messageAs most funding streams are finite, towns

should develop a succession strategy by

focussing on developing networks and engaging

with other partners, developers and authorities.

These partners will help them to realise their

more strategic aims.

And when developing projects, partnerships

should aim to maximise their sustainability, by

ensuring that they encompass economic,

environmental and social objectives.

Case study: Craven Arms The Craven Arms MTI works closely with SouthShropshire District Council’s Regeneration team.TheDistrict Council’s officers handle funding applicationsand project implementation.This leaves the MTI officerwith more time to work with community groups andto act as an enabler and facilitator of initiatives.

Craven Arms has benefited fromsignificant funding, ranging fromlarge-scale capital projects tosmaller scale community grantsthrough the Community Chest.The Market Town Officer estimatesthat around 1,900 people (out ofa population of 2,000 in thetown) have benefited directly orindirectly from the CommunityChest.

Funding has also come throughthe private sector (in the form ofenvironmental improvements)and through the use of Section 106 money. It is estimated that around half of thebusinesses in the town have had either advice or financial involvement in the MTI.

At Craven Arms, manyprojects have already beencompleted, such as this newskate park and sports area(above). Other moreambitious projects, such asthe redevelopment of thetown's auction yard (left),are underway and will becompleted next year. Thehealthcheck revealed thatthis part of town was verymuch disliked by localpeople. The redevelopmentwork has attractedsubstantial funding of£6.5m.

17


Elements of success

• Project officers have built up strong links withpublic sector partners, through discussions aboutfunding, provision of advice and other help inkind.

• Relations with other organisations are influencedby the project officer’s negotiating andcollaborating skills.

• The level of resources made available to projectofficers varies; opportunities to share facilitiesand staff with partner organisations, such as townand parish councils, local authorities and housingassociations, should be explored further.

• All of the town partnerships saw the benefits ofhaving a paid coordinator in post at the start, andof retaining them wherever possible.

• Volunteers can provide significant support to thepartnership, and some funding bodies nowrecognise their contribution when consideringproject applications.


• A number of project officers consider that theyhad little access to support, especially at theoutset of the MTI, and that responsibility to seeksupport had rested very much with them.

• Some project officers also said that partners,particularly the local authority, did not alwaysrecognise the significance of the MTI. Newproject officers coming into establishedpartnerships sometimes found that relationsbetween the partnership and the local authoritywere poor.

• Project officers were commonly concerned thatthey were not given sufficient administrativesupport, and that this impacts on their capacity totake on additional roles and responsibilities.

• When officers and members were asked whatresources would make a significant difference,they said more financial support, staff, fundingfor projects, administrative support, access tospecialist advice, longer timescales and lessbureaucracy.

6. Access to resourcesOn balance, project officers consider that they have good access to advice and skills frompartner organisations, although a significant minority feel they could have been givenmore help.

Key messageThere is much to be gained for all parties from

joint working and mutual support. Ideally, strong

relations with partner organisations, particularly

local authorities, should be established from the

outset. The Countryside Agency has an

important role to play in supporting the

development of key relationships between

stakeholders within towns.

Case study – Frodsham ForwardFrodsham Forward was established with fundingfrom the Countryside Agency and Vale RoyalBorough Council. Only nine months afterapproving its action plan, the partnership hassuccessfully levered in £2.4 million, including £1.6 million from the North West RegionalDevelopment Agency, to fund a range of projects.The partnership attributes its fundraising success tothe knowledge and experience of its projectcoordinator, who identified funding sources andapplied and lobbied for funds.

The partnership has also been successful inidentifying existing funding that was earmarkedfor the area and, where appropriate, ensuring thatit was redirected to projects in the action plan.Thishas helped to secure small-scale, early win projectswhich provide examples of issues in the actionplan being implemented.

18


Elements of success• Most project officers and partners recognise the

MTI as a successful venture – promotingcommunity involvement, helping to raise theprofile of the town with agencies and partners,and attracting funding. It has also given towns theconfidence they need to respond to futureopportunities.

• Partnerships recognise the healthcheck as awidely accepted means by which to raise issueswith other partners and agencies.

• The Initiative has given existing communitygroups a greater sense of direction. And throughregional and local forums, groups can share bestpractice and experiences.

• Most towns consider that ‘quick wins’ areimportant in keeping the community engagedduring the time that the healthcheck, action planand project implementation are undertaken.


• Key challenges associated with the delivery of theMTI include the need to overcome apathy and‘consultation fatigue’ in order to securecommunity involvement, economic issues,partnership working, and funding.

• Difficulties include appointing and retaining aproject coordinator; undertaking consultation;communication; managing personalities withinthe partnership; and involving young people andthose from the hinterland.

• Issues such as affordable housing, economicdecline and agricultural reform are considered tobe difficult for the MTI to tackle; and the MTIappears to have had little success in supportingspecific areas of the rural economy, such as farmdiversification or helping to establish alternativemarkets.

• It can sometimes be easier for partnerships tofocus on the detail, rather than the bigger picture.

7. Delivering the MTIAlthough the MTI has faced significant challenges, it has had major successes inpromoting community involvement and in acting as a catalyst for regeneration.

Case study: Opportunity BewdleyOpportunity Bewdley is an independent regeneration company established in the first instance toimplement the MTI. It has encouraged partner organisations to coordinate initiatives and to address keyissues facing the town, most notably the problems arising from flooding. In addition, Opportunity Bewdleyoperates a number of grant schemes; the Market Towns officerdevotes a great deal of time tooperating these schemes, which canrestrict her involvement in other issuesthat affect the town. Recently, however,the company has obtained funding foran administrative assistant, which willfree up officer time.

Opportunity Bewdley has been able toinfluence emerging issues, includingtraffic and transport, in particularcommunity transport. A study has also beencommissioned into the town’s local identity, todetermine the elements that are distinct toBewdley.This will inform a project to increasevisitor numbers and impact positively onsustainable regeneration of the town.

As well as operating a number ofgrant schemes, OpportunityBewdley encourages partners toaddress key issues in the town –improving quality of life for localpeople and making Bewdley a moreattractive place in which to workand live. Shown here are the town'snew ICT centre, communitytransport scheme and play area.

19


Elements of success

• The MTI is generally considered to have been agood starting point for market townregeneration, and it is thought that the MTIconcept will continue in future.

• Partnerships have a strong wish to continue,brought about by the realisation that towns caninfluence decisions and take a direct part in theprocess of regeneration.The development ofstrong links within the towns themselves andwith other towns and partner organisations isalso important in this regard.

• A number of individual towns already havesuccession strategies in place and have securedthe funding they need to keep the project officerin post once MTI funding has ceased.

• Some towns are evolving as development trusts orother bodies independent of the local authority;such partnerships appear to be well placed tocontinue as they rely to a greater extent oncommunity and volunteer support. Otherpartnerships that are not constituted asdevelopment trusts are actively considering this asa route for succession. In other instances, localauthorities are looking at opportunities tocontinue the support they have been providing todate in an imaginative way. Other opportunitiesto support succession include the evolution of thepartnership into an LSP or the development ofcloser ties with the town council.

• It is recognised that the work now needs to moveforward, beyond the towns currently involved inthe MTI.The approach for making this happenvaries between regions. In some regions, existingforums will continue to provide ongoingsupport; in others, the RDA is taking on the leadrole.


• Continued financial support is the key issue interms of the MTI’s future, especially given theshort-term nature of existing funding support.

• There is a feeling that it can be difficult to drawup a succession strategy as the objectives ofpotential funding or supporting bodies can besubject to so much change.

• Following the Haskins Review, the CountrysideAgency is being refocussed and it will become amuch smaller, watchdog organisation, with itsrole taken over by a range of other organisations(including the RDAs and Government Offices).Some people suggest that this will mean that nosingle organisation is championing the cause formarket towns in future.The reallocation ofresponsibilities to the regions, and furtheruncertainty about regional devolution, is alsocreating concern.

8. The futureThere is widespread commitment to continue the work that the MTI has started. This isbased on the shared vision, momentum, funding and strong links that have already beenestablished. Nevertheless, there are real concerns about the future, especially once theCountryside Agency’s direct involvement comes to an end next year.

Key messagePlanning for the long term – that is, the future

of the partnership beyond the MTI – should be

undertaken early in its establishment as this

may influence its structure and constitution. The

Countryside Agency has a role to play in

providing advice and support to partnerships

about how they might continue once core

funded has ceased.

20


Case study:A succession strategy forMalton/Norton MarketTowns Partnership

Knowing that the MTI was due to endin March 2004, the Malton/NortonMarket Towns Partnership wanted tomake sure that they could continue toserve local communities once MTIfunding had come to an end.

The Partnership looked into settingitself up as a Development Trust, butfound that for a single town alone,with a limited number of projects, thiswas simply not sustainable financiallyor administratively.They then had theidea of getting together with threeother market towns in Ryedale Districtto form a district-wide DevelopmentTrust. The resulting Development Trust,the Ryedale Economic Trust, willshortly come into being.

The Trust will be a not for profitcompany limited by guarantee, withboard members from the private sector.The aim is to appoint a project officerwho would serve all four towns andmake progress in delivering projects that meet economic aims, drawing on a wide range of public sectorfunds. It is envisaged that the Trust will be able to take on significant developments, such as setting upbusiness start-up units or developing brownfield land as a business/industrial park.

The Malton/Norton Market Towns Partnership will continue in a more advisory/consultative role.ThePartnership has broad membership and already plays a key part in representing local people, for exampleby commenting on the Local Development Framework and the Regional Spacial Strategy.

By repositioning itself in this way, the Market Towns Partnership has developed from a vehicle to deliverprojects in the town, to acting in a more strategic and consultative way, hence ensuring greater likelihoodthat it will be sustainable in the long term.

© C

ountryside Agency/Sim

on Warner

21


9. Conclusions

The lessons learned When asked what advice they would give a town that is about to embark on the MTI, officers andmembers put forward the following suggestions:

• form relationships with other partners, agencies and the community, gain their commitment and focuson maintaining good communication with them;

• put key skills in place – this particularly applied to members who saw the value of a good projectofficer;

• get the partnership right in terms of its quality, representation and structure;

• consult the community and get them involved; and

• learn from the experience of other market towns, for example through networks such as Action forMarket Towns.

The case study towns suggested that the key lessons they had learned include:

• the importance of managing and limiting expectations of the MTI; and

• the need to deal with and manage the views of disparate groups.

Undoubtedly, the most important lesson learned has been that there exists within the market towns theskills, experience and commitment of local people to take a lead in the regeneration of a town and tocontribute to the development of policy.This is being translated into thinking on succession, where thereappears to be a consensus that a key individual needs to drive the market towns partnership forward.

The research found that a high percentage of thoseinvolved in the MTI, either as members of thepartnerships, or as officers, have found it worthwhileas a means by which the profile of their town hasbeen raised.

Partnership working defines much of the MTIactivity, and while it is not without its stresses (forexample, the difficulties associated with ensuringthat the partnership is representative), the approachis widely welcomed.

Many towns have focussed on bringing about changewithin their town through smaller scale projects –such as enhancement schemes, and communitygrants and events – that improve the quality of lifefor residents and visitors. A significant number of

towns have taken the MTI a stage further, using it asthe vehicle by which to influence the programmesand strategies of other organisations. It is this widerrole that will, it is hoped, be the lasting impact ofthe MTI, whereby local communities can take theirplace at the table alongside a whole range of otherpartners and organisations.

In many market towns across England, the MTI has acted as a catalyst, drawing togetherdisparate groups and activities, and providing the tools to engage the local communityand a wide range of partners. It has created a sense of identity, helping to instil a feelingof pride and sense of purpose within the community. And it has demonstrated thatcommunities within the towns have the skills and resources available to influence theirregeneration, future role and identity.

22


Appendix 1: Statistical informationKey benefits of a partnership approach

Key benefits of MTI participation

23


Key successes

Significant issues not addressed

Reason given Number of mentions

Strong vision and commitment from the community (and partnership) 48

Other funding is available 41

Momentum gathered and the need to fulfil community expectations 36

Involved in other relevant organisations, eg LSPs, Councils 25

Constituted to raise funding 19

Strong, pro-active partnership 12

Was doing this activity before the MTI 11

Tied to longer term programmes/Masterplan/LT issues 10

"Hope so"/"It has to" 10

Got/getting funding in place to continue 8

Have an exit strategy in place 6

MTI funding was just the catalyst 4

Reason given Number of mentions

Lack of funding/awareness of other funding 31

Don't know 9

Apathy 6

Weak/poor/split partnership/lack of leadership 4

Need for a central facilitator 3

Lack of volunteer time 3

Made/makes no difference 3

Local politics 2

Poor experience in the past 2

24


Reasons given by partnerships for wishing to continue beyond the life of the MTI

Issues that partnerships consider might hinder success beyond the life of the MTI

Assessment of the Market Towns Initiative: a summaryAssessment of the Market Towns Initiative: a...

Documents

Transcript of Assessment of the Market Towns Initiative: a summaryAssessment of the Market Towns Initiative: a...