Contents. Appendices A. 1B. 2A. 2B. 2C. 2D. 3A. 3B. 3C. 5A.

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2 Contents Introduction 2 Our succession objectives 3 The plan - EC1: Beyond Safeguarding NDC-funded assets 17 Consultation and community involvement in developing the plan 19 Transition 21 Risk Register 22 Appendices 1A. 1B. 2A. 2B. 2C. 2D. 3A. 3B. 3C. 5A. Analysis of change and the impact of EC1 NDC Endorsements Constitution and terms of reference of the EC1 Neighbourhood Steering Group Sustainability analysis of all current NDC revenue projects Commitments to succession from partner organisations EC1 Community Engagement Strategy Asset register Business plan for Three Corners Trust Memorandum and Articles of Association for Three Corners Trust Transition plan timeline 1

3 Introduction In this plan, EC1 New Deal for Communities (NDC) sets out its objectives for succession and describes how they will be achieved. The succession objectives are the result of a comprehensive analysis of the effectiveness of the NDC programme to date, as well as an understanding of the inherent risks which lie ahead. The plan s development has been influenced by a year-long programme of consultation involving residents and other stakeholders. The plan is supported by partners, residents and friends of the NDC at both a local and borough-wide level. Some of our key partners include: Islington Council St Luke s Trust Cripplegate Foundation Homes for Islington CEA@Islington Metropolitan Police NHS Islngton JobCentre Plus In addition, this plan has been formally endorsed by the NDC board, the Local Strategic Partnership and the Executive Committee of Islington Council (Appendix 1b). EC1 NDC s approach to succession can be summarised as: Continuing flagship projects that meet the succession objectives and are particularly important for the area. Setting up new organisations and partnership to manage these projects, including two new charitable trusts. Establishing an unincorporated Neighbourhood Steering Group which will enable residents and partner organisations to continue to work together to improve local service delivery. The new organisations identified in point 2 above will also be represented on the Neighbourhood Steering Group. Working with LB Islington to produce an Area Action Plan to shape future development and capital investment in EC1. Ensuring the Neighbourhood Steering Group and Area Action Plan are linked into Islington s wider decision-making structures. Empowering and involving residents is essential to the success of these plans. To ensure this happens we have developed a community engagement strategy centred around the succession priorities. Financial support will enable EC1 NDC to realise the potential of its succession plans. To this end Islington Council has committed an annual allocation of 200,000 over 5 years from April 2011 to support succession. Additional revenue will add strength to the plans and the NDC will be approaching its other strategic partners to provide further support. 2

4 1. Our succession objectives The EC1 New Deal for Communities (NDC) area has improved in many ways during the life of the programme. After March 2011 there will be a legacy of excellent community facilities; a more attractive public realm; improved and enhanced public services; and a greater sense of pride and involvement. However, that investment has not yet put the area on a completely sustainable path for improvement. The area will continue to need attention to safeguard the NDC investment and community assets, and to maximise the future opportunities. Our objectives are designed to focus partners and residents around key challenges and to emphasise what can be achieved at a neighbourhood level. Before setting out the new objectives, it is important to summarise achievements against the existing EC1 NDC objectives. Appendix 1A sets this out in detail against each of the key neighbourhood renewal themes. We currently have a framework of aims and objectives that is assessed using 32 indicators. Performance against these indicators is informed by the bi-annual household survey and other data sources. Table 1 below summarises the position for these indicators as at October 2009: Cleaner, Safer and Greener Healthier, wealthier and with more skills Stronger and more sustainable community Total Met On Target At Risk Total Examples of these improvements include: An increased level of satisfaction with the place as a whole, and the public realm in particular (the percentage of residents who are satisfied with the area as a place to live increased from 75% in 2002 to 86% in 2008). Marked improvements in feelings of safety, especially inside homes (the percentage of residents who are very worried about their home being broken into has fallen from 24% in 2002 to 9% in 2008) Primary school aged pupils now do better in EC1 than in Islington as whole (the percentage of Key Stage 2 pupils reaching level 4 increased from 72.6 in 2002 to 78.1 in 2008) On one summary measure (the Index of Multiple Deprivation), the average improvement in rank for each of the LSOAs in the EC1 area between 2004 and 2007 was 1500 places. However, we are not complacent, especially given the uncertain economic times ahead. We have combined results from our performance data with other research and feedback from consultation to agree the following key challenges for the neighbourhood: 3

5 Poverty and Isolation, especially amongst children and older people. (All nine LSOAs with some coverage of the EC1 area are in the bottom 10% of the country in terms of income deprivation affecting children. Three of the nine are in the bottom 10% in terms of income deprivation affecting older people) Worklessness, especially in social housing. (Although the overall worklessness rate reduced from 17.5% in 1999 to 12.6% in 2007, only half of working age social housing residents are in paid work) Underachievement amongst children and young people (EC1 residents still lag behind Islington and London in terms of GCSE results, with 52% achieving 5 GCSEs A*-C in 2008). Low levels of community engagement Fragmented, poor urban design The final two challenges above are not immediately obvious when considering the assessment of indicator performance in table 1. Whilst our community engagement and involvement targets have largely been met, a closer look at the data indicates that those involved in the community do not necessarily feel that they are able to influence change in the area nor are they necessarily representative of the demographic make-up of the population. Similarly our investment in environmental and public space improvements has had a tremendously positive impact across a range of indicators, but this is limited by the fact the NDC area continues to be hampered by poor urban design. The NDC s influence over the local Area Action Plan should go some way to addressing these design issues in the longer term. The most challenging area for the NDC has been life opportunities. Here, it has been difficult to make a markedly positive impact. We think there are four main sets of underlying reasons why the NDC investment has not been able to shift some of these indicators. The effects of housing policies and residential mobility. The area remains heavily dominated by social housing (75%) and flats (92%). Our evidence shows a continued polarisation between those people in social housing and those living in other tenures. Also, many people, especially families with children, wish to leave the area because of the limited size of flats and the lack of open space. Changes in the labour market. The EC1 area benefits from being close to significant economic activity but our analysis shows that the local labour market continues to shift away from low or semi-skilled sectors. Key economic growth has been in skilled service sectors, and a significant proportion of the working age population have low level skills. In addition, the proportion of people for whom English is not a first language has risen from 28% in 2002 to 39% in Lack of penetration of services. Research carried out by the NDC and other partners highlights the continued difficulty of ensuring that services are tailored to those who most need them. Many people remain unaware or unclear about specialist services or facilities that are available. Some groups face special challenges, including: lone parents, young jobseekers and middle-aged long-term residents who are economically inactive. The cultural effects of concentrated low income. Only about one in five adults on social housing estates are in work, with the remaining groups being retired (40%), unemployed (12%) or economically inactive (28%). One of the effects we believe this has is to dampen the aspirations of young people. 4

6 1. 2. We believe the EC1 area as a whole has a bright future, and will become more vibrant as the resident and working population continues to increase. However, it is important that the local community benefits from, and is better connected to, this growth. For the Partnership, therefore, this translates into the following specific succession objectives: That there is ongoing action to reduce and mitigate the impacts of poverty on the future prospects of children growing up in low-income households That there is ongoing action to raise the aspirations of young people and broaden their horizons That working-age residents continue to be supported into training and employment That there is ongoing action to reduce isolation, particularly amongst older people That future spatial development and the planning and use of housing in the area contribute to the ongoing renewal of the neighbourhood and encourage and support the building of a strong, sustainable and prosperous community That community involvement is more inclusive and broader in scope to encourage cohesion, and residents continue to be supported to influence service providers. These are closely matched to the indicators set out in the Islington Sustainable Community Strategy and the Local Area Agreement. In particular, the LAA sets out to: reduce poverty; raise educational standards; and create cohesive, active and empowered communities. The plan will also indirectly help with other objectives promoting better physical and mental health, improving the environment, and meeting housing needs. Specific areas where the EC1 succession strategy will help achieve LAA indicators include: Reduce poverty: NI 116 Proportion of children in poverty NI 152 Working age people on out of work benefits Number of residents achieving an entry level First Steps course (Local indicator) Raise educational standards NI 75 Achievement of 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent including English and Maths NI year olds who are not in education, training or employment (NEET) Cohesive, active and empowered communities NI 4 Percentage of people who feel they can influence decisions in their locality Ni 6 Participation in regular volunteering Number of third sector organisations in Islington demonstrating significant organisational development as a result of staff and volunteers completing agreed training plans (Local indicator) They are also in line with the objectives of a number of other local institutions, particular the Invisible Islington strategy set out by the Cripplegate Foundation. 5

7 2. The plan - EC1: Beyond To meet our objectives, the plan for succession is to: Continue flagship projects that meet the succession objectives and are particularly important for the area Set up new organisations and partnership to manage these projects, including two new charitable trusts. Establish an unincorporated Neighbourhood Steering Group which will enable residents and partner organisations to continue to work together to improve local service delivery. The new organisations identified in point 2 above will also be represented on the Neighbourhood Steering Group. Work with LB Islington to produce an Area Action Plan to shape future development and capital investment in EC1. Ensure the Neighbourhood Steering Group and Area Action Plan are linked into Islington s wider decision-making structures. Unlike some other NDC partnerships, EC1 NDC has not established a single, main successor body to continue the partnership s work beyond the end of the programme. Instead we have created a new neighbourhood steering group. This will be similar to the NDC board as it will bring together residents and partners, but it will have a much broader membership and partner representatives will be more involved at the local level. We recognise that this new steering group will not be effective unless it is tied into wider decision-making structures. In terms of creating a local mechanism for influencing and shaping the future allocation of revenue funding for services we have created an explicit link between the neighbourhood steering group and the Islington Strategic Partnership. Similarly, by working with the local authority to create an Area Action Plan specific to Bunhill and Clerkenwell, we are providing a mechanism whereby residents and partners can have a say in future spatial development in EC1. The Area Action Plan is a component part of Islington Council s Local Development Framework. The endorsement of the local strategic partnership and the local authority is crucial to embedding the effectiveness of the neighbourhood steering group and the Area Action Plan. Financing succession Neighbourhood management and the flagship projects which characterize our succession plan will all require revenue funding in order to be viable beyond the life of the NDC. It is difficult to accurately determine the full cost of running the neighbourhood arrangements and sustaining our flagship projects from 1 April However an indicative annual range of between 340,000 and 435,000 would be a reasonable estimate. Some significant progress has already been made in achieving this revenue goal with commitments from partners which are described in the section on flagship projects later in the chapter. Regardless, a significant funding gap remains to be closed before this plan can be described as sustainable. 6

8 Islington Council recognises the significant positive impact NDC funding has had on the EC1 area since A significant additional contribution from the local authority will ensure that residents continue to enjoy the benefits of regeneration for a number of years beyond Therefore, in order to meet the revenue gap associated with the EC1 NDC succession plan, Islington Council will commit to providing an annual contribution of 200,000 over 5 years. The table below shows the estimated full-cost of sustaining the NDC s succession arrangements as well as how a contribution from the local authority might support these costs. Annual succession funding plan Area of contribution How funding will help succession Full cost Proposed Contribution from Islington Council Neighbourhood management Total To manage and administer neighbourhood arrangements. This would include, salary, admin, resident recruitment, research and promotion 80, ,000 80,000 EC1 Connect A contribution to EC1 Connect running costs including salary and administration 60,000-80,000 40,000 youth partnership A contribution to the youth partnership, to support enhanced youth work and partnership working 30,000-40,000 15,000 youth forum An annual contribution to the running of the youth forum which would be managed by a nominated member of the youth partnership 10,000-15,000 5,000 Three Corners A contribution to the cost of managing and promoting the Three Corners Centre 70,000-90,000 40,000 Community events A contribution to the EC1 Summer Festival and Finsbury Arts Festival 20,000-30,000 10,000 yourec1 magazine A contribution to production costs 30, ,000 Total 340, , ,000 7

9 With additional funding currently sought for five years beyond March 2011, it will be necessary for each of the key succession projects to work toward finding sustainable solutions so that they can continue to operate beyond The NDC will assist each project to achieve its succession aspirations up until March 2011, beyond which point both the council and the neighbourhood steering group will play a role in overseeing their progression. Neighbourhood arrangements A number of elements have been considered in establishing the new neighbourhood steering group including: Purpose Area of benefit Governance arrangements Support for residents Future funding Purpose of the neighbourhood steering group In addition to the projects and interventions we have funded, neighbourhood management has already been a key ingredient in our success. Our work in brokering dialogue and building partnerships between local service providers has helped them to co-ordinate their activities and work together better. We want this to continue beyond March 2011, and to leave as our legacy a recognised structure for coordinating services in the area, for managing the place better and to continue to support resident involvement and strong community organisations. This is consistent with the development of neighbourhood management elsewhere in Islington, which has been supported by the Islington Strategic Partnership since The ISP undertook a review of neighbourhood management (including within EC1) during 2008 and the outcome was a decision to continue to support the initiative, both financially and practically: EC1 NDC is establishing a Neighbourhood Steering Group (NSG) for the area, comprising residents, local service providers from the statutory and voluntary sector, local councillors and representatives of the business community. The activities of the NSG will include: Local service co-ordination: ongoing facilitation of local provider networks - e.g. youth providers, employment & training, primary schools and environmental maintenance; organising periodic neighbourhood provider conferences to review the changing needs of the area, review performance and exploit new opportunities for networking and collaboration. Provider networks will build upon, not duplicate arrangements which have or will be put in place by partner agencies (e.g. Area Children & Young People s Partnership; Safer Neighbourhood Panels). Advocating for the neighbourhood: collecting, analysing and publishing data about the area how it is changing, the success of neighbourhood renewal activities, and the performance of service delivery at a local level and using it to influence and improve public service provision. This may include agreeing a set of targets which could be monitored at a local level. 8

10 Spatial development: monitoring the implementation of the local Area Action Plan as well as specific developments in the area and representing the views of the members of the neighbourhood steering group on planning issues. Raising the profile of the area: with business, statutory agencies and government as a means of drawing funding into the area and encouraging business participation in neighbourhood management. Enabling community participation in decision-making: through e.g. resident forums. This could include help to facilitate local charters and community contracts. These contracts are voluntary agreements between local people and town halls that will allow residents to set minimum standards, bargain with councils for extra services and put in place checks on quality. Area of benefit Neighbourhood management in EC1 will cover an area wider-than but incorporating most of the current NDC boundary. Specifically it will include those areas of Bunhill and Clerkenwell covered by the EC1 postcode area. Whilst there is a degree of simplicity in choosing the EC1 area for neighbourhood management, the logic also extends to correct some of the anomolies created by the restrictions associated with the original NDC boundary. In particular some estates including Peregrine, Kestrel and the western half of the Peabody Estate will now be included. This new area of benefit is also more in-line with that covered by the St Luke s Trust who will be a key community anchor organisation in the area, and is easily identifiable for residents. This area does exclude a very small section of the current NDC area which carries an EC2 postcode. This will not leave out any major estates but the terms of reference state that a flexible approach will be taken to interested residents within these wards who live just outside the EC1 postcode boundary. Whilst the area of benefit is broadening from 4500 to 8000 households, the focus of neighbourhood management will still be directed toward addressing the most deprived areas of the community. These deprived areas will largely fall within the old NDC area and therefore the impact of any intervention is unlikely to be diminished as a result of the area s expansion. In fact, the extended boundary draws in more commercial areas from Clerkenwell and therefore should increase the opportunity for working in partnership with the local business community. 9

11 Current NDC area New area of benefit 10

12 Governance arrangements The NDC s neighbourhood sub group agreed a constitution and draft terms of reference (appendix 2A) for the new neighbourhood steering group on 14 July This outlined an initial list of partner members as well as arrangements for how residents would be recuited to the group. It also covers other governance items such as selection of chairs and frequency of meetings. All partners (Appendix 2A p.7) have signed up to become members of the steering group, with the exception of the youth providers partnership. The partnership will join the steering group once they have been formally established as an entity later in The diagram below shows the broad range of interests which will be brought together under the partnership including: new trust and management boards (red); existing statutory partners (orange); new partners (green); residents (purple) and the St Luke s Trust (blue). Islington Council Metropolitan Police CEA@Islington Homes for Islington Islington NHS Cripplegate Residents St Luke s Trust (Neighbourhood Manager) Neighbourhood Steering Group 3 Corners Trust Connect Trust Magazine board Youth partnership Whitecross St Business Association Golden Lane Campus LSO St Luke s Peabody Trust Islington Library Islington Street Trading EC1 neighbourhood arrangements: April

13 The St Luke s Trust has been appointed to oversee the NDC s neighbourhood arrangements and a neighbourhood manager has been recruited to co-ordinate the process. St Luke s is an important partner for the NDC s succession plans. As an established charity they have been delivering services to older members of the community for more than 50 years. More recently St Luke s has been broadening the scope of its work by offering services to attract a wider mix of residents. Their aspiration is to be a broadbased community anchor organisation. St Luke s has a substantial financial endowment including ownership of the St Luke s Centre site. They are delivering a number of EC1-funded projects including a Time Bank, community events, business engagement and community gardening. They are committed to continuing this work beyond the life of the NDC. Support for residents Since 2008 the NDC has funded Islington Voluntary Action Council (IVAC) to develop the skills and capacity of residents. This project exists so that a broad cross section of community members have the best possible opportunity to participate with confidence in a range of community organisations, including the neighbourhood sub group. The neighbourhood manager will work with IVAC to co-ordinate further support for residents who wish to join the neighbourhood sub group and other bodies up until March This will include an assessment of training needs and additional support. In particular provision will be made for transport, childcare and accessible document formats where needed. The NDC is funding neighbourhood management up until the end of the NDC programme. In broad terms this provides for the salary of a neighbourhood manager, administration of the neighbourhood steering group, and support for resident engagement. Details of how neighbourhood arrangements might be funded after March 2011 can be seen earlier in this chapter Financing succession (pages 7 & 8) Flagship projects to be continued after March 2011 The NDC has identified a number of flagship projects which it wishes to see continued after the programme finishes. Each of these meets one or more of the NDC s succession objectives and their continuation has been widely supported in consultation with residents and partners. Substantial progress has been made in working toward the sustainability of each project, however they are all at risk and work will need to continue up until the end of the programme to ensure their security beyond March EC1 Connect Relevant succession objectives: That working-age residents continue to be supported into training and employment. That there is ongoing action to reduce and mitigate the impacts of poverty on the future prospects of children growing up in low-income households. That there is ongoing action to reduce isolation, particularly amongst older people. 12

14 The award-winning EC1 Connect doorstep referral service has grown from strength to strength over the past couple of years. Acting as the link between residents and those organisations which can help with work, training, childcare and a host of other services, Connect has helped hundreds of residents since it began in Gaining national recognition at the 2008 Regeneration and Renewal awards it has now expanded to other parts of Islington including Canonbury and Finsbury Park. Connect has its own staff but also relies on partner organisations who provide outreach staff to assist with the doorknocking. A trust has been established to oversee Connect with a salaried director appointed to run and develop the organisation in July A business plan has been created for Connect; however funding gaps remain in the overall plan beyond March Before the end of the programme the NDC will work with the Connect project director to secure additional funding and find other sources of support to ensure its sustainability. Three Corners Centre Relevant succession objectives: That working-age residents continue to be supported into training and employment. That there is ongoing action to raise the aspirations of young people and broaden their horizons. The 2.5 million Three Corners Centre opened in October The state-of-theart building is a magnificent legacy for the local community and will house an adult learning centre, children s play area and space for youth services. The Centre is owned by Islington Council but will be run by its own trust (Three Corners Trust) and a manager has been appointed up until the end of the NDC programme. The Trust will have a service level agreement with the two Council services that will run from the building (Adult Community Services and Play Services) to ensure their continued support for the project on an annual rolling basis. In addition the Trust will initially take a license or short-term lease for the part of the building from which they will deliver youth services themselves. Three Corners has its own business plan with secured tenants to provide adult learning and play services for a number of years beyond March The youth facility is yet to be filled by a tenant/s and as such the centre is not yet fully sustainable. The NDC will work with the Trust and the centre manager to find a solution and possible tenants prior to March yourec1 magazine Relevant succession objective: That community involvement is more inclusive and broader in scope and residents are enabled and supported to influence providers in achieving the above outcomes for EC1. The EC1 community magazine is set to continue beyond March The magazine is hand-delivered to 5000 local households and in last year s MORI survey it was shown to be more regularly read by resident s than local newspapers. A media training company will take over production of the magazine from the beginning of next year. This production will be overseen by a magazine management board which reports to the neighbourhood steering group. The NDC will continue to contribute some funding to the production of the magazine up until the end of the programme. 13

15 The proposed funding model for delivering the magazine is reliant on approximately 10% advertising revenue. The NDC will work closely with the delivery partner to identify possible contributors for both editorial and advertising up until March Youth Providers Partnership and Youth Forum Relevant succession objective: That there is ongoing action to raise the aspirations of young people and broaden their horizons. The EC1 youth partnership brings together statutory and non-statutory youth service providers who currently meet to co-ordinate the work they deliver to young people in EC1. They will also combine their skills and resources to apply for additional funding revenue to enhance youth services in the area. In addition the partnership will support the EC1 youth forum which enables young people to have a say in how services are provided. An operational model has been developed for the partnership, with all providers signing up to and making a contribution to the partnership from April Whitecross Street Market Relevant succession objective: That working-age residents continue to be supported into training and employment. Over the past three years EC1 NDC and its partners have helped to turn around this once declining street into a bustling market. More than 800,000 of NDC funding has contributed to both physical improvements and economic development work on the market and its continued success is a major priority for the area. The council has committed to continue to work in the area beyond March 2011 to promote and support the market. A priority for succession is to ensure that a vibrant business association is established and operating on the market prior to March Community Festivals & events Relevant succession objective: That community involvement is more inclusive and broader in scope and residents are enabled and supported to influence providers in achieving the above outcomes for EC1. Community events funded by EC1 NDC such as the EC1 Summer Festival have been pivotal to engaging with and bringing the local community together over a number of years. The St Luke s Trust has committed to organising a number of community events beyond March 2011 including the EC1 Summer Festival and the Finsbury Arts Festival. The NDC has been and will continue to work with the trust up until March 2011 to provide event management support in order to build its capacity to deliver these events in the future. There is a well-established group of community volunteers who play an important part in helping to organise and run events. They will continue to be essential to making events affordable and community-led in the future. 14

16 Activity being mainstreamed by partner organisations The above projects represent just a handful of the many activities which have been funded by the NDC. However they were selected because they represent the most effective means of achieving the NDC s succession objectives. Some other projects will continue beyond March 2011 and they will play a part in continuing to bring benefit to the local community. Appendix 2B provides a summary of all current NDC-funded revenue projects and whether or not the activity will be sustained. Reasons for not sustaining such projects will be one or more of the following: The activity has been absorbed into mainstream activity The project/activity was envisaged as a one-off or time-limited intervention The problem that the project was intended to address has been resolved The project outcome is not an ongoing priority for the area Other organisational commitments In addition to the mainstreaming of NDC-funded projects, the NDC has met with and reached agreement with key strategic partners to seek further support for its succession plan. Out of this process a range a commitments have been received and these are detailed in appendix 2C. Bunhill and Clerkenwell Area Action Plan Longer term developments in EC1, particularly transport hubs such as Crossrail and Thameslink, will bring economic growth but will also create additional population growth pressures for the area. Therefore planning ahead to manage this growth is a priority, particularly as a way of safeguarding the NDC s investment in the environment and people s quality of life. To ensure that residents can have an effective say over any future spatial developments, the NDC has supported the council in developing an Area Action Plan for the Bunhill and Clerkenwell council wards. This southern part of Islington is approximately equivalent to the future area of benefit for neighbourhood management in EC1. Consultation on initial options began in 2009 with a full plan to be developed for further consultation in The plan is due to be adopted in 2011 with implementation commencing in State aid declaration In assessing the impact of our succession interventions, we do not believe any of these involves a commercial activity which would distort competition and affect trade between EU member states. Community empowerment Community empowerment has been at the forefront of the NDC s work since Residents have been actively involved in the board; as participants and deliverers of projects; and as volunteers involved with community events and the NDC magazine. 15

17 In July 2009 the NDC agreed and implemented a new Community Engagement strategy to ensure that residents are empowered to influence and be involved up until the March 2011 and beyond. The broad aims of the strategy (attached as appendix 2D) are: 1. To develop more inclusive involvement, especially by: a) b) c) d) e) f) 2. Young people People from BME and non-christian faith communities Working-age residents with children Residents who do not live on local authority housing estates Disabled people Students To develop a broader scope of engagement, i.e. not just housing, environmental issues and crime/anti-social behaviour but also in terms of the thematic outcomes of the EC1 NDC succession strategy 3. To increase involvement by local businesses in ongoing neighbourhood renewal 4. a) b) To ensure that EC1 NDC succession structures are populated by local residents, now and in the future A number of mechanisms for achieving the strategy have been identified, including: Increasing the capacity and capability of individuals and community-based organisations to take on a broader role Ensuring that residents receive regular information about opportunities for involvement in the area c) d) Supporting community festivals and events Supporting and extending opportunities for formal and informal volunteering e) Promoting and facilitating networks, partnerships and collaborative working between community organisations and partner agencies, including some that do not currently have a profile in the EC1 area. Together, these existing and new mechanisms should ensure that residents continue to play an active role in the development of the EC1 neighbourhood. Resident champions During 2009 the NDC initiated a championing project to engage resident board members in key succession projects. Each resident has signed up to be an advocate for the sustainability of one or a number of projects. As experts on these major succession elements the resident champions will be a vital continuous link for succession before and after March

18 3. Safeguarding NDC-funded assets By the end of the programme the NDC will have invested more than 24million of capital funding in the EC1 area. Our asset strategy for succession is based upon safeguarding the benefits which have been derived from the NDC capital investment. Appendix 3.A provides a full list of the entire NDC capital investment. It is categorised as follows: Improvements to parks, streets and gardens Security upgrades on social housing estates Vehicles and equipment Improvements to schools Improvements to community buildings and playgrounds Three Corners Centre Refurbishment of Ironmonger Row Baths The new St Luke s community centre (provisional) Office equipment The NDC public space strategy has seen numerous parks, streets and gardens rejuvenated across the NDC area. These improvements have all taken place on land owned by the local authority. The land will continue to be owned by Islington Council at the end of the NDC and into the foreseeable future. As owner of the land, and therefore recipient of the benefit brought about by the NDC investment in its improvement, it is incumbent upon the council to ensure these improvements are maintained. Security upgrades on social housing estates has ranged from fob-operated door entry systems to more sophisticated monitored CCTV schemes. These items are all managed by the estate landlord, Homes for Islington (HFI). HFI have agreed to ensure the systems continue to be maintained and managed after the programme ends in March (ref: Appendix 1B) There is a small amount of vehicles and equipment which have been purchased with NDC grant. This includes mini-buses and musical instruments for youth clubs. The local authority has ownership and responsibility for these items and their resale value will be negligible as of 1 April Each of EC1 s seven primary schools and two secondary schools has benefited from NDC-funded capital improvements. This has included better playgrounds, sports pitches, school gardens and much improved classrooms. CEA@Islington is an NDC partner organisation, oversees the running of schools in EC1, and will be responsible for ensuring that the NDC s investment is maintained in the longer term. To encourage residents and organisations to use local venues for meetings and events, the NDC embarked on a project to improve community buildings in EC1. This investment saw a number of halls on estates and the Finsbury Library Hall undergo major refurbishment. Homes for Islington is responsible for the estate halls whilst Islington Council is responsible for maintain the investment in Finsbury Library Hall. More than 1.7million of NDC capital funding has been invested in the new Three Corners Centre. The adult, youth and play centre opened in October It will be managed by the newly established Three Corners Trust but will be owned for the foreseeable future by the accountable body which will have ultimate responsibility for the building. A business plan (Appendix 3B) has 17

19 been created which sets out the aims, protocol and budget for the new centre as well as the background to the trust. The trust s Memorandum and Articles of Association are also attached to this plan (Appendix 3C) In the longer term the Council has agreed in principle to an asset transfer to the Trust (either a long lease or freehold) subject to a strong business plan, demonstrable social value and the Trust establishing a track record in management and fundraising. EC1 NDC is making a 3.8million contribution to the refurbishment of Ironmonger Rows Baths. The refurbishment will not be completed until It is owned by the local authority and it will continue to be so after March The NDC s contribution to this project is as grant funding, however its availability to the project is conditional upon the local authority demonstrating how it will encourage and support local involvement and participation in the newly refurbished centre. A range of office equipment has been purchased over the lifetime of the NDC, including furniture and computers. None of this is anticipated to have any saleable value at 31 March 2011(Appendix 3A). There are no items of value over 5000 and the NDC will seek the accountable body s agreement for how it wishes any outstanding equipment to be disposed/distributed during the final months of the programme. At the time of writing this plan the NDC had yet to finalise its intentions for its outstanding capital allocation. The NDC delivery plan for 2010/11 will show how this capital will be spent during the final year of the programme. The delivery plan will be finalised in January Should this capital allocation be directed toward any revenue generating assets, the NDC understands it would need to submit appropriate documentation to central government in order to provide assurances which would meet the requirements for the removal of clawback. 18

20 4. Consultation and community involvement in developing the plan In 2008 EC1 New Deal for Communities began to ask residents and representatives of local organizations what they thought should happen once the programme finished in March Stakeholders included NDC board members, Islington councillors, senior managers at the council, the Local Strategic Partnership, representatives of tenants groups, small business owners and all EC1 residents. A combination of surveys and events were used to explain what was being proposed and to gather feedback on the proposals. NDC board members The process of developing the NDC succession plan began in early During a series of intensive away day sessions NDC board members discussed, refined and agreed an initial broad list of priorities. These priorities would form the basis of consultation over the coming year. NDC succession household survey During the summer of 2008 a survey was sent to every EC1 household asking people what they thought of the NDC s proposed succession priorities. A number of these surveys were also completed at the EC1 Summer Festival in July. Meetings with TMO and TRA Between June and October 2008 the NDC met with members of tenants groups from across the area to discuss the succession priorities and to ask each organisation to submit a written response to the NDC. Neighbourhood events: Working together for a better neighbourhood The NDC held events in April and June One event invited residents and the other, representatives of partner organizations. The events were designed to enable people to feed into and discuss the neighbourhood arrangements which would be established later in the year and continue beyond March Area Action Plan household survey The NDC, working in partnership with Islington Council, began consulting with residents in spring 2009 to gain their views on the future Area Action Plan for Bunhill and Clerkenwell. Project specific consultation A number of the projects which will be sustained after March 2011 have also consulted on their plans. Specifically events have been held with residents and stakeholders interested in the new Three Corners Centre. Similarly on-line surveys and focus groups have been used to gain the views of residents regarding the continuation of yourec1 magazine. 19

21 Undoubtedly each of these activities has enabled the NDC to understand the priorities of residents and stakeholders with regard to succession. Broadly the community supported the NDC board s original priorities. However the consultation year enabled the initial list to be refined and expanded and a renewed set of succession priorities was agreed by the NDC board in June This list, agreed by the NDC board, has been used to form the objectives of the current plan. Stakeholder consultation event: EC1: Beyond 2011 On 23 July 2009 the NDC conducted an event with senior members of partner organizations. The purpose was to explain the NDC succession strategy and to gain input from those attending. The event was supported by the Islington Strategic Partnership and the keynote address was provided by John Foster, Chief Executive, Islington Council. Future events Once the plan is agreed and adopted the NDC will hold two events related to succession in One with residents, another with partners; both events will be designed to gain support and co-operation in delivering the succession objectives up to and beyond March

22 5. Transition In order to execute this plan effectively the NDC will undertake to monitor the implementation of projects and groups associated with succession. This will be done in order to mitigate their risk of failure and to ensure they are all in the best possible condition to operate on 1 April At the same time the transition to new arrangements will see the smooth shut down of the NDC programme in EC1 in order to minimise risks and liabilities for the accountable body. The transition plan will be monitored and overseen by the NDC s succession sub group up until March Finance / documents During Q3 and Q4 2010/11 the NDC will work with the accountable body to ensure: All spend is accounted for and recorded. This will identify any specific accruals in 2010/11 but which may not come in for payment by 31 March Management and Administration spend remains within 10% of the overall allocation Project files and other documents and electronic records which need to be kept for agreed periods of time by CLG or LBI procedures are provided to the accountable body by 31 March Staff & board All NDC staff are employed by Renaisi Ltd, who holds the contract with Islington Council to manage the NDC programme on their behalf. During 2009 the NDC implemented a staffing restructure which resulted in a smaller core team to complete the programme. After March 2011 Renaisi hopes to incorporate NDC staff into its core operations. If any final redundancies are required these will be identified prior to September 2010 to ensure costs can be factored into the last quarter of the programme. The NDC board will continue to meet throughout It will hold its final meeting and agree to disband in January Residents and partners who wish to stay involved beyond March 2011 will be encouraged to participate in the emerging neighbourhood arrangements. NDC funded projects The NDC conducted a review of all its projects during the second quarter of 2009/10. The review asked each project manager or funding recipient to outline how they are planning to manage the transition toward the removal of NDC grant. The results of this can be seen in appendix 2B. The NDC will monitor the progress of each of these plans during 2010/11, with a progress report to be brought to the September 2010 meeting of the NDC board. An internal audit of all project files will be conducted during Q3 2010/11 to ensure they are up-to-date. Final monitoring returns will be completed and added to these files in March EC1 NDC office The NDC staff team moved into the St Luke s centre at the beginning of the 2008/09 financial year. A lease was agreed for a first floor office space between St Luke s Trust and Renaisi. Subject to board approval, from April 2010 the remaining NDC staff could relocate to Renaisi s head office in Shoreditch. This will bring the current lease to an end as well as any requirements for a dedicated NDC office. 21

23 6. Risk Register

24 6. Risk Register

25 EC1: BEYOND 2011 EC1 New Deal for Communities St Luke s Centre 90 Central Street London EC1V 8AJ info@ec1newdeal.com