Between Economic Competitiveness and Social Inclusion: New Labour and the Economic Revival of Deprived Neighbourhoods

Abstract

Following the election of the first New Labour government in 1997 the revitalisation of deprived neighbourhoods quickly became a central feature of the policy landscape. Motivated by the desire to tackle processes of social exclusion and find a new economic basis for these areas, an array of policy experiments and interventions emerged. An increasing focus of these was to improve the economic conditions of deprived neighbourhoods with a particular emphasis upon tackling worklessness and promoting entrepreneurial activity. Yet despite this sustained activity, 13 years later the gap between the poorest neighbourhoods and the rest persisted. This paper reflects critically upon the development of this policy agenda, its aims, outcomes and effectiveness, and identifies the factors that constrained its ability to transform the economic fortunes of England"s most deprived neighbourhoods.

Effective Strategy Implementation: Why Partnership Interconnectivity Matters

“…The programme was associated with Michael Porter and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, and was part of a reorientation of local economic development in England, which chose to emphasise local competitive advantages rather than directly ameliorating local disadvantage. In so doing, City Growth turned away from more traditional 'welfarist' policies in deprived areas, towards the promotion of an enterprise culture (Syrett and North, 2010). It was funded through the Small Business Service within the Department of Trade and Industry using money from the Phoenix Development Fund 1 .…”

Outcomes from Community Engagement in Urban Regeneration: Evidence from England's New Deal for Communities Programme

“…Although there are examples of participation initiatives being implemented across cities (Durose & Lowndes, 2010), many interventions have taken place at what tend to be referred to, often interchangeably, as the scale of the community of place (Lawson & Kearns, 2010), or the neighbourhood (Syrett & North, 2010). There are longstanding debates here as to the degree to which it is possible still to identify communities of place (Forrest & Kearns, 2001).…”

Conceptualising Local Approaches to Tackling Worklessness: The New Deal for Communities Programme as Neoliberal ‘Flanking Strategy’?

“…Syrett and North (2010) contend there has been a critical 'disconnect' whereby strategic attempts to stimulate demand at the regional or sub-regional level have not been co-ordinated with supply-side initiatives delivered at the neighbourhood level (see also Green, 2011). This has left the needs of deprived neighbourhoods overlooked as policy-makers have pursued growth strategies at sub-national levels in high-skilled industries unlikely to benefit lower-skilled residents in low employment areas.…”