Neighbourhood service delivery at 'make or break moment' » Communities » 24dash.com

The future of service delivery to neighbourhoods is at a crucial turning point. Government, councils and service providers are facing a "make or break" moment, according to an independent report published today.

Neighbourhood Management Pathfinders, set up by Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in 2001, are designed to give residents a real opportunity to improve local services and make them more responsive to their needs. They test a new approach for neighbourhood renewal.

A new report has found evidence of more joined-up, accessible and responsive services in areas with NMPs.

The report 'Neighbourhood Management - at the Turning Point?' states that the 35 pathfinders are a "valuable tool" in regenerating deprived areas and supports the pathfinder neighbourhood management model being rolled-out more widely.

But it warns that the approach is in danger of being a missed opportunity unless its value is recognised.

The report by SQW found evidence that the first NMPs to be set-up have now deepened their relationships with many service providers.

The strongest involvement is with police, local schools, primary care trusts, local authority housing services and local authority environmental services.

The following improvements in NMP areas are highlighted in the report:

The greatest change has been from the police - reflecting the importance of community safety as a concern for local communities. Analysis shows that recorded crime has fallen in three quarters of round 1 NMPs. The second greatest area of change has been in environmental services. There is evidence that those Pathfinders that have prioritised improving environmental services now have both cleaner neighbourhoods and have helped to change residents' perceptions of their local area. Success of the neighbourhood management approach is demonstrated by the 200 other neighbourhood management initiatives that are now established, usually set up by local authorities or Local Strategic Partnerships.

Neighbourhood management adds value by bringing residents and service providers together to improve and join-up local services, help strengthen the local community and voluntary sector, and by providing an environment in which innovation is encouraged.

The report states: "The main benefits so far have been to make the deprived pathfinder neighbourhoods safer and cleaner and help shape services that are better joined up, more accessible and more responsive to local needs.

"Neighbourhood management has 'struck a chord' with many organisations and people that have come into active contact with it.

"To many practitioners, residents, councillors and service providers, it has the hallmarks of a more intelligent and sustainable approach to neighbourhood renewal and public service improvement.

"On the basis of the evidence we have gathered and analysed, we suggest that neighbourhood management is indeed a valuable tool that deserves to be developed and adopted more widely."

Neighbourhood Renewal Minister Phil Woolas said: "This report shows that neighbourhood management is a key vehicle for regenerating deprived communities.

"In pathfinder areas residents and service providers are working together to improve services and make them more responsive to local needs.

"NMPs have been particularly effective so far in making neighbourhoods cleaner and safer. Environmental issues and crime are often the key concerns of local people and this report shows that perceptions are starting to improve.

"The NMPs have demonstrated that working at the neighbourhood level is effective. There are already over 230 neighbourhood management initiatives and more are being set up using new money through the neighbourhood element of the Safer and Stronger Communities block of Local Area Agreements."

Examples of NMP successes:

Community safety

West Midlands, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Knutton Cross Heath Neighbourhood Management Initiative:

The local policing unit in Staffordshire Police increased the local police presence in the area by two officers and two PCSOs - this was partly funded by the NMP and mainstreamed from April 2005. Benefits for the community include increased levels and greater visibility of policing through more foot patrols and more support for victims of crime. Closer links between police and residents mean local priorities are better understood. The level of reported crime has fallen by 17 per cent in the area between 2001/2 to 2004/5 - particular improvements have been made on reducing burglary and criminal damage. This has narrowed the gap between crime rates in the NMP area and the rest of the district.

North West, Chester, Blacon Together, Car Clear Plus:

The area had a problem with stolen and abandoned cars being dumped and set on fire. The NMP brought agencies together, including the police, fire service, wardens and local housing Trust. The process of removing vehicles has been speeded up; action was taken to reduce the number of unroadworthy vehicles; offenders were targeted and a new hotline number to report incidents was publicised. The number of abandoned cars fell by 37% and there was a 63% reduction in vehicle arson from 2003/4 to 2004/5.

 London, Greenwich, Woolwich Common:

The Metropolitan Police have co-located a Safer Neighbourhoods team of three police officers and four PCSOs in the NMPs new community shop, where residents can access a number of services and wider information. As a result there is a greater visible police presence in the neighbourhood and police are more accessible for local residents.

 London, Camden, Gospel Oak Neighbourhood Management Initiative:

The NMP funded the provision of CCTV and a local radio network for local businesses, to help tackle crimes affecting them.

Housing services

North East, Derwentside, Stanley Green Corridor Neighbourhood Partnership:

A number of NMPs have developed services to help tenants and residents in the NMP area. In Stanley Green Corridor a local handyman service has been expanded - the handyman undertakes repairs for people, many of whom are elderly.

Health services

West Midlands, Wyre Forest, Oldington and Foley Park, Kidderminster:

Tooth decay and general oral health is poor in the NMP area. The NMP worked with the local Wyre Forest primary care trust to introduce new dentistry services and to make residents aware that these new services were available. The NMP identified volunteers to knock on doors (to get over issues of literacy) and record which residents weren't registered with a dentist. Benefits include an increased take up of dental services in the area, with 753 local residents signed up with the new dental services, representing 15per cent of the population of the NMP.

Education services

South West, Bournemouth, Community Management in Springbourne and Boscombe West:

The NMP has supported the piloting of new approaches to help pupils in local schools with complex needs. Nurture Groups have now been set up at all primary schools in the NMP with the aim of helping children aged four to six to develop emotionally, academically and socially through learning activities in small groups.

Environmental services

East of England, Basildon, Interlock Northlands Park:

Following information and lobbying from the NMP the local street cleansing services have been changed. Since April 2005 there has been a dedicated team of street cleaners and grounds maintenance staff for the area. Streets are cleaned twice a week, litter collected on a regular basis, bushes are cut back when requested, grass is cut regularly and the team can respond to requests. There is also a new enforcement officer to deal with fly tipping and rubbish dumping. Local surveys have shown a reduction in the proportion of people who said that litter and rubbish in streets is a problem from 68 per cent to 30 per cent since 2003, a reduction in the proportion of people who think vandalism and graffiti is a problem down from 76 per cent to 37 per cent and a reduction in fly tipping.

Community involvement

West Midlands, Oldington and Foley Park, Wyre Forest:

The 'Carrot Club' is a regular informal event in the local school's canteen, timed to coincide with parents and carers collecting their children from school. The club provides the opportunity for the NMP and other service providers who are active in the area to meet with residents in an informal manner.

North West, New East Blackburn, Blackburn with Darwen:

The 'Street Ambassador' programme provides a system to gather the views of local community members even if they do not attend formal NMP events. Any resident can become an ambassador providing that they adhere to a formal code of conduct.