Category finalists

CATEGORY WINNER: Pan Neighbourhood Partnership, Newport, Isle of Wight
Pan operates in the eponymous neighbourhood in the Isle of Wight’s main town of Newport and aims to tackle social problems such as worklessness, poor health and fear of crime. Among the initiatives to tackle these phenomena, the PNP has established a warden programme under which two neighbourhood wardens provide a physical presence on the estate, at once giving confidence to fearful residents and acting as the eyes and ears of the area. The organisation has also funded the construction of a new ‘multi-use games area’, which Norledge says has helped allay concerns among residents over possible youth crime.

Birchills Neighbourhood Management and Renewal Project
This project grew out of a tenant management organisation set up in 1993 on the Birchills estate in Walsall. As the main local body for driving forward the transformation of the estate, the TMO enables members of the community to influence change by taking an active part in local decision making, for example by sitting on its board. Residents are also encouraged to take up various roles in the neighbourhood, such as ‘community inspectors’, who monitor the delivery of street services.

EverGreen by Global Action Plan, London
EverGreen is a programme set up in 2006 to help elderly residents of housing association Hanover in Hackney contribute positively towards the environment. Residents were formed into ‘eco teams’, in which they were able to discuss how they could lessen their impact on issues of concern such as waste, water, energy and transport. The teams, which directly involved around 330 residents, were then supported to take practical action, such as improving recycling facilities and growing their own food.

Ideal For All, Sandwell
Over the past five years, Ideal for All, a charity set up and run by disabled people in Sandwell, has transformed a piece of disused land in Oldham into a thriving market garden. The charity raised £1.5 million to pay for the Salop Drive Market Garden, which is now run for and by the community to produce food for local people, as well as providing health benefits such as increasing physical activity and reducing stress.

Lockleaze Voice Neighbourhood Planning Group, Bristol
Residents of Lockleaze, a former council estate in Bristol, lacked any kind of structure through which to express views on future development and regeneration taking place in their area. In 2007 Planning Aid, the Royal Town Planning Institute’s free advisory arm helped set up Lockleaze Voice, a forum designed to help residents be heard in decisions affecting the neighbourhood. The body has produced a community plan, which the local authority uses as a starting point when deciding planning applications in the area.

Streets Ahead, Bradford
Set up to improve the provision of services in five disadvantaged areas of Bradford, Streets Ahead was established as a partnership between voluntary groups, residents, the council and service providers. Under the programme, a residents’ steering group has been created in each of the target areas. These have the power to act on behalf of their community and ensure public spending is targeted at the right priorities.