Visit our SRB Project page for the latest update on phase three of Urban Forum's research into the
wind-down of SRB

SRB wind-down Project

SRB project – phase three report
Urban Forum has released its report of phase three of its research into the winding-down of the Single Regeneration Budget and its replacement by RDA single pot funding. Download the full version here

What does the report say in brief...
Urban Forum has called for more funds to be made available to continue activities currently funded by the doomed Single Regeneration Budget (SRB)
programme.

Urban Forum has spent the last 18 months carrying out research, funded by the Office for the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), looking at the end of SRB and its implications for social regeneration work often carried out by the voluntary and community sector (VCS).

With the final phase of the research now complete – and with continued major concerns about the end of this programme – it calls on government to act on its recommendations.

Other recommendations include changing targets for Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) – in charge of single pot funding – to ensure that the role of the VCS in delivering regeneration is properly supported; mapping regeneration activity lost when SRB funding runs out; and a proper role for the VCS in decision-making at regional level.

An important recommendation from the second phase of our research –completed in October 2003 and resulting in the Out of the SRB...into the Pot report – was quickly taken on board by government. Urban Forum recommended that a cross-departmental group be set up to consider the issue of resourcing for social regeneration and the VCS in greater detail.

Further to this, a group known as the Working Group on Regeneration and the VCS or Cliff Edge Group was set up.
The Home Office are taking a lead on this work, with the group chaired by Helen Edwards, Director General of the Communities Group (which includes the Active Communities Directorate and Civil Renewal Unit). The Cliff Edge Group includes representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) and Regional Development Agencies.

PHASE THREE RECOMMENDATIONS
The final phase of Urban Forum’s research makes the following recommendations:

1. Additional resources are needed to continue some of the activities previously funded through SRB. The next spending review should provide funding to the Civil Renewal Unit to allow the community capacity building review to be delivered. With the review of RDA targets, the Home Office and ODPM should seek to influence (through PSA targets) the setting of future RDA outputs to ensure that the role of the voluntary and community sector (VCS) in delivering regeneration is properly supported. Funds are needed to ensure that SRB programmes, which have been identified as beneficial to continue, are given adequate time to transfer
to new funding arrangements.

2. That regeneration activity, including all VCS activity lost when SRB rounds finish, is thoroughly mapped.

3. The VCS must be involved in decision making at all levels. To ensure that the VCS is properly involved in sub-regional partnerships, either resources should be made available (similar to the Regional Strategic Engagement Fund in the West Midlands) or Community Empowerment Fund should be
secured for the long term in all areas (mainstreaming).

4. The role of Regional Assemblies to directly influence and scrutinise the activity of sub-regional partnerships should be developed, with the resource implications of this recognised. The VCS, both at a national and regional level, must be able to influence the review of the RDA targets.

5. There should be a review of the way that both national and regional organisations work to deliver holistic regeneration. This will be crucial if the RDAs targets are not reviewed as suggested above.

6. Urban Forum to identify innovative practice by the VCS with the end of SRB.

Urban Forum's major report Out of SRB...Into the Pot launched. Download the executive summary here

This major one-day conference announced the launch of an Urban Forum report, Out of the SRB....into the pot, covering a year of research into the wind down of the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) in favour of single pot funding from Regional Development Agencies (RDAs).

The report and conference assessed the effect of this major change on the voluntary and community sector — particularly in regard to social regeneration projects. These are the schemes most at risk of the economic focus of the RDAs.

If you need further information email info@urbanforum.org.uk

The announcement was made by Government in 2000 that the Regional Development Agencies (RDA’s) would be able to allocate resources from a ‘Single Pot’, to achieve their Regional Economic Strategies (RES). Previously RDA’s had managed up to 11 different funding streams, including SRB funding. Urban Forum has produced a summary of each of the RES. Email us for details.

RDA’s have to achieve their Tier Targets, in particular the Tier 3 targets that are set for them by the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI). The overall aim of the RDA’s is economic regeneration – to increase Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Some of the activities previously funded through SRB may not be thought of as ‘economic regeneration’ and this may lead to problems for the voluntary and community sector in continuing activity beyond the life of existing SRB programmes.

The research has three phases and is sponsored by the Office for the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM). Phase One and Two have now been completed. Phase One involved interviews with a national sample of Regeneration Partnerships. Major issues arising from Phase One were grouped around three themes; economic focus of RDA’s, VCS involvement in LSP’s and sub regional structures, the Social Enterprise Agenda.

Phase Two involved in depth interviews with each of the RDA’s and Government Offices and interviews with the Regional Voluntary Sector Networks and BME networks. The Research Advisory Group selected four regions to examine more in depth as part of Phase 2, these were; West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber, South West and London. Focus group sessions were held in each of these regions, bringing together key regional partners and examining issues highlighted in Phase One.

Phase 1 and 2 resulted in the publication of the Out of the SRB Into the Pot report, which was launched at a one day conference in Reading on 13 October. The report has since been widely circulated to government bodies and other key agencies and copies are available from Urban Forum. See top of page for an executive summary.

Phase 3 is currently underway. CAG Consultants have been employed by Urban Forum to carry out this Phase. Steve Lawless from CAG has already been meeting with representatives from the voluntary and community sector and regional government departments to examine the impact of the winding down Single Pot resources. This phase will be completed in March 2004.

By doing the research Urban Forum will gain a greater understanding of how the VCS are being affected by the wind down of SRB. They will also aim to increase the understanding within Government Departments of what the main issues are for the VCS. Phase 3 of the research will make recommendations on the responsibility of the RDAs and other government departments to pick up on the achievements in social regeneration work previously funded by SRB.