Each of the urban Regeneration Zones (RZs) has a partnership-based board, with representatives of public, private and voluntary / community sectors and each with a private sector chair. Zone boards are responsible for identifying priorities, developing activities and encouraging involvement of a variety of organisations in pursuit of Zone aims. Each board is supported by a secretariat which develops RZ programmes and projects, working with partner agencies. (In the case of Coventry and Nuneaton RZ, the secretariat is provided by the sub-regional partnership, Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Partnership.)
Organisational Purpose
Regeneration Zones (RZs) were established by the regional development agency, Advantage West Midlands (AWM), as a ‘key delivery mechanism’ for delivering the Regional Economic Strategy. Their aims are to raise employment levels, increase business activity and improve the quality of life in the most deprived parts of the region by strengthening links between areas of need and areas of opportunity – especially where opportunities exist to make a sizeable difference. RZs are expected to take a long term approach of 10 to 15 years, supporting by 2010 the creation of 19,000 jobs, 55,000 learning opportunities, and the remediation of 600 hectares of brownfield land.
There are six RZs in the region, each of which crosses local authority boundaries (and therefore Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) boundaries). The RZs are Coventry and Nuneaton; East Birmingham and North Solihull; Black Country South and West Birmingham (‘Arc of Opportunity’), Black Country North and South Staffordshire (‘Future Foundations’); and North Staffordshire. The population covered is 1.9m.
While their main role is in programme development relating to AWM funding, RZs are expected to influence and align partner spending plans relating to regeneration/ neighbourhood renewal, and bring greater coherence to the use of EU funds.
Common Purpose with LSPs
RZs have similar goals to LSPs, but with a more dedicated economic regeneration emphasis crossing LSP boundaries. RZs include the 10% most deprived wards in the region, and most of the next 10%.
RZs have a status in the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy as areas favoured for development. This strategy provides the statutory context for local development frameworks prepared by local authorities in conjunction with LSPs. Together, they are expected to develop ‘visions for local urban renaissance’, intended to integrate and co-ordinate land use and investment decisions with the development of major services and facilities in the fields of education, health and leisure, community safety, environment and housing.
Drivers
Performance of RZs is assessed by AWM according to delivery of outputs contained in Zone Delivery Plans and expenditure to profile. Outputs and outcomes will be reconsidered in the light of the new Regional Development Agency Tasking Framework introduced by the Department of Trade and Industry in 2005.
Current high level measures for RZs are reducing numbers of unemployed people and numbers of adults lacking qualifications.
Constraints
Financial constraints on AWM have significantly reduced revenue funding available to RZs. RZs find it much easier to support capital projects, and look to partners to provide staffing and other ongoing delivery costs.
Relationship with other Partnerships
Regeneration Zones typically have links with (and in some cases, overlapping membership with):
- LSPs and task groups/ thematic partnerships on economic regeneration, learning and employment
- Regional Skills Partnership
- Other AWM delivery mechanisms: High Technology Corridors and Business Clusters
- Sub-regional partnerships (e.g. CSWP, Black Country Consortium)
RZs are intended to link with other regeneration initiatives, e.g. Housing Market Renewal pathfinders in South Black Country West Birmingham RZ and North Staffordshire RZ. The Sandwell and Walsall Urban Regeneration Companies lie within the respective Zones.
More Information
Other things you need to know
- RZs prepare three year Zone Implementation Plans (ZIPs), setting out a planning framework and the projects and initiatives to be delivered in their area.
- Each Zone is expected to develop a programme of ‘bridges to success’ projects (e.g. Wolverhampton Learning Quarter), intended to raise aspirations and create strong links for local people to growth opportunities. Such programmes may cover, e.g. training, business start-up support, transport and childcare provision.
Find out more:
Advantage West Midlandswww.advantagewm.co.uk
Regional Economic Strategy http://www.advantagewm.co.uk/Images/WMES_tcm9-9538.pdf
