Title

We are at that point in the year when local authorities are receiving their ‘scores on the doors'. These scores judge us as being ‘shining stars', ‘unpolished gems' or ‘subject to review'. But is the way in which we judge ourselves and each other really capturing the full extent of our talents and achievements? In Allerdale, West Cumbria, one of our three key priorities is regeneration. This has emerged from detailed consultation and engagement with our communities. They want us, the district council, to take the lead on re-energising and re-vitalising our area. They want investment in the area to create new jobs for local people, they require derelict land and dilapidated buildings which are a legacy of our industrial heritage to be brought back into use, and they want support for local people to assist them to be economically active and self-sufficient. We are responding positively to these requests. We recognise our role as a ‘place shaper' and our duty of care for the overall economic, social and environmental wellbeing of our local community. We have just completed a multimillion-pound regeneration of Workington town centre, and have created innovative master plans to bring back into use derelict sites. And we have won national awards for creating ‘routes to work' for disadvantaged individuals. We are really proud of these achievements as we are directly responding to the needs and opportunities of our area. But, we are not alone in having a focus on regeneration. District councils across the country are focusing significant resources on regeneration activity. Yet how is this reflected in our ‘scores'? It is reassuring that a review of sub-national economic development and regeneration is currently under way and the White Paper has a chapter on economic development, housing and planning. Regeneration is making a huge difference in our communities, and is at the core of the place-shaping agenda – yet at the present time, there are limited ways of achieving wider recognition for our regeneration efforts. By regenerating our communities we are creating shining stars, and it is pleasing that the way we are recognised for our activity is ‘subject to review'. This will hopefully reveal and release a number of unpolished gems in the future. Gillian Bishop is chief executive of Allerdale BC

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WHITEHALL

District View

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