Overview

Over the last few years Blackburn has undergone a process of regeneration to overcome serious deprivation problems. Although admirable, this initiative risked inadvertently increasing tensions between different communities, with some aspects of the renewal process seen as favouring certain groups. To get around this the council undertook a broad process of engagement that included creating a forum so that everyone in the community could get their voice heard. The result gave all Blackburn residents a real say in the rejuvenation of their town centre and helped embed the idea of community cohesion into all areas of the regeneration programme, from public engagement and procurement to skills development.

The Blackburn Town Centre Regeneration Project funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency set out to tackle serious urban deprivation through a process of investment and urban renewal. Unfortunately a perceived lack of local consultation meant the project could unwittingly increase tensions between different groups. As a result, Blackburn council were keen to create a process of engagement that would involve all local groups and make sure everyone’s opinion was heard.

This involved setting up a credible community forum called “Neighbourhood Voices” that offered a platform to everyone affected by the regeneration program. The council also established close connections with local schools and colleges, and made sure the results of their consultations were incorporated into the project’s masterplan. Finally they worked with English Partnerships to embed the changes and make sure they became part of any future initiative.

The team steering the project now understand the importance of including all groups in local policy decision, as well as how to make that happen. Individual residents and council staff benefited through improved skills and training, while the town benefited through an increase in community cohesion. The project also helped establish best practise for use in other similar projects. As a result the people of Blackburn feel that their opinions are being heard and are contributing to the regeneration of their town centre into somewhere they can all be proud of.

Summary

• 
  Blackburn has seen a rise in the signs of multiple deprivation - low wages, low skills and pockets of high unemployment. Tackling these problems raised issues of community cohesion as certain groups felt they were being ignored.
• The council and partners wanted a broad range of local people involved in the regeneration consultation processes, for results that belonged to everyone
• They developed a four point strategy: build a credible community forum, work with schools, encourage masterplanning best practice, and work with English Partnerships to embed cohesion.
• Professionals and council staff have enhanced skills, residents are more motivated and better informed, and the community is participating in the consultation process.
• The engagement process took risks and tried new techniques to reach people. The result was a success and the whole town has reaped the rewards.

» Background

Background

Blackburn is undergoing a period of profound change. At the forefront of this process is a council-led regeneration and investment programme known as the Blackburn Town Centre Regeneration Project. This is funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency and supported by a number of private sector interests and an ambitious multi-million pound masterplan.

The fact is that Blackburn suffers from an unacceptably high level of deprivation with low wages, high unemployment, a shortage of training and skills, and a growing Asian heritage population that accounts for 22% of the populace. The Blackburn Town Centre Regeneration Project aimed to tackle these problems, but fears that the consultation process favoured certain groups risked increasing tension between Blackburn’s different communities.

The danger was that without a free and open forum in which to discuss plans the regeneration programme – however well intentioned - could do more harm than good.

To counter this Blackburn council set up community engagement program in an effort to improved community cohesion and create a town centre that belonged to every Blackburn resident.

» The Project

Overview «

The Project

The community engagement project was made up of four strands. Firstly it set up a credible and respected forum (under the name “Neighbourhood Voices”) that was representative of all communities in the borough. This involved building on various existing community engagement initiative through a process of active recruitment through facilitated workshops and communications training.

Secondly it set out to explore and develop connections with local schools. This included working with Blackburn College to develop curriculum materials around the concept of “place making” and using materials developed for a similar project in Milton Keynes and other resources provided by the Academy for Sustainable Communities (ASC - now the HCA Skills and Knowledge Directorate). The council also ran exhibitions and workshops and set about developing a Regeneration Resource Centre.

Thirdly the project aimed to firmly embed community cohesion within the town centre masterplan and develop best practice that can be used to influence the whole masterplanning profession. This involved the research and development of 10 case studies that examined best practice, using ASC’s “Raising our Game” programme and other courses to develop professional skills, holding a developer’s day in Blackburn’s Cathedral Development Quarter, and running design surgeries for short-listed developers.

Finally the council worked with English Partnerships to create standards that help ensure community cohesion and diversity policies are part of any future procurement process.

» The Impact

Background «

The Impact

The programme created a real impact in terms of improved understanding of community engagement/consultation techniques and a better appreciation of the importance of community participation.

At an individual level, members of the community found the program helped improve their communication skills, increased their self-confidence and gave them a better grasp of decision-making techniques and the consensus building process. Feedback from participants in the various training programmes showed that training had been valuable and has resulted in a real change to the way they worked.

At the same time the project trialled new and innovative ways for reaching people, including the use of interactive, high-tech and attractive public exhibitions and the creation of the “100 voices” forum. Funding from the Academy of Sustainable Communities (now the HCA Skills and Knowledge Directorate) provided the catalyst for these new ideas.

The program also meant Blackburn council benefited from increased skills. What’s more, the lesson that meaningful community consultation is an essential part of community regeneration programmes has been learned and will be applied to other regeneration programmes.

Feedback from within the Blackburn community as a whole suggests that people now feel their opinions are taken into consideration and understand why some regeneration decisions can’t always align with community views. This approach contrasts with the usual box-ticking approach to community engagement.

The final result is a rejuvenated town centre, a community that feels its voice is heard, and the long term knowledge that involving all sections of the community is an essential part of any public consultation/engagement process.

In fact the ‘100 voices’ forum was so successful that Blackburn Council has continued to use it as a consultation panel for Blackburn town centre regeneration. The panel has now played a central consultation role in a number of projects including the development of the emerging town centre strategy, Cathedral Quarter SPD, the movement strategy and proposals for a major new link road and the role of public art in regeneration.

This work has been very valuable in gaining public support and ownership of projects as well as ensuring that private developers, highways agencies, artists and key decision makers understand the needs, aspirations and concerns of the local community before they start work on the ground.

» Lessons Learned

The Project «

Lessons Learned

Outside expertise can help kickstart a project
An important factor in the success of this project was the expertise, advice and funding provided by Academy of Sustainable Communities (now the HCA Academy. This experience gave council personnel the confidence to highlight the importance of meaningful community engagement. It also helped them to come up some innovative and effective engagement methods.

Giving people a voice creates involvement
The concept of the “100 voices” forum proved an effective way of engaging the public in urban regeneration and sustainable communities initiatives.

It’s never too early to start engaging
Engaging with communities right from the start and keeping them informed will sustain interest and keep them coming back for more.

Lessons learned further into the project

Ongoing learning

A key element to the project’s success has been the continued opportunities for formal and informal learning for all involved. Only by providing participants with the knowledge and understanding about core principles of regeneration and town centre development have they been able to contribute so successfully their ideas and opinions.

Keep it fresh

To keep momentum and to engage a wide demographic it has been important to continue to present opportunities in an interesting and accessible way. Particularly with subjects that could traditionally seem very dry and uninteresting to the average person - such as Supplementary Planning Documents. This includes:

-making sure that venues are accessible and non-threatening (Blackburn Council tends to use restaurants and entertainment venues rather than council buildings, conference venues or offices),

-providing a range of activities to suit all abilities and ages to ensure everyone has the opportunity to learn and engage, and to present information in interesting, entertaining and relevant ways (this has included using a voting quiz show format for reviewing strategy proposals, creative workshops and study trips within and outside of the borough),

- careful marketing to engage people and get them along to events (this has included interesting strap-lines, personal invitation cards, postcards, email invites and positive PR).

Ongoing commitment

The 100 voices is a valuable resource for regeneration, but to be successful requires considerable resources to facilitate. An on going commitment of staff and funding to the project is essential.

» Reference

The Impact «

Reference

Contact details
Clare Turner
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council,
Blackburn Visitor Centre
Church Street,
Blackburn
BB1 5AS

(01254) 688048
clare.turner@blackburn.gov.uk

Lessons Learned «