Neighbourhood Renewal

RENEWING OUR COMMUNITIES

The Government’s vision for the year 2010 is that ‘no-one should be seriously disadvantaged by where they live’. The aim is to deliver economic prosperity, safe communities, high quality education, decent housing and better health to the poorest parts of the country.

Enfield was awarded £4.1 million by government to be spent between 2003 and 2006 to reduce the inequality across the borough. The government has set “floor targets” for the council, health authority, police, housing agencies and other public bodies to ensure that neighbourhoods with greatest need are brought up to the borough average. These “floor targets” are:

• Employment – Over the 3 years to 2004, taking into account the economic cycle, increase the employment rates of the 30 local authority districts with the poorest initial labour market position – and reduce the difference between their employment rates and the overall rate.
• Crime - Reduce domestic burglary by 25%, with no local authority district having a rate more than three times the national average (by 2005).
• Education - Increase the percentage of pupils obtaining five or more GCSEs at A* - C, with at least 38% to achieve this standard in every local education authority (LEA) by 2004. Increase the percentage pupils obtaining five or more GCSEs at A* - C, with at least 25% in every school by 2006 (20% by 2004).
• Health - Starting with health authorities, by 2010 to reduce by at least 10% the gap between the quintile of areas with the lowest life expectancy at birth and the population as a whole. By 2010, to reduce the conception rate among under 18s in the worst quintile of wards by at least 60%, thereby reducing the level of inequality between the worst quintile and the average by at least 26% by 2010.
• Housing and Environment - Ensure that all housing meets set standards of decency by 2010, by reducing the number of households living in social housing that does not meet these standards by a third between 2001 and 2004, with most of the improvements taking place in the most deprived local authority areas as part of a comprehensive regeneration strategy.

A study has taken place which has identified the following key issues (Neighbourhood Renewal Assessment):

• The concentration of unemployment is highest in the borough’s south east corner
• The areas with the greatest level of deprivation also have the highest levels of young people and people from black and ethnic minority communities

A special survey of approximately 1000 households has also taken place (MORI Residents Survey) in areas targeted by Neighbourhood Renewal (e.g. Edmonton and Ponders End) and the survey found:

• A high proportion of female headed households – almost 60%
• A high proportion of local residents with no educational or vocational qualification of any kind
• Despite high unemployment, a very small proportion of respondents are looking for work
• Very low income levels; a third reporting an annual household income of £10k or less, with half less than £20k
• A relatively stable population; 10% had lived in the area for less than a year, while 55% had lived there for 5 years or more
• Concerns about crime that appear to outweigh reported crime figures; almost half the people questioned feels unsafe after dark, compared to 1 in 5 in the borough as a whole
• Widespread dissatisfaction with the accessibility of GP services
• Broad levels of satisfaction with housing, but not the area: about a third would like to move
• Little sense of involvement in the community – but no great desire to become involved

These key facts have been used to inform the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy which sets out a number of key projects and initiatives that will be run in the most deprived areas of the borough to tackle these problems.

The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy is divided into 5 key areas: Crime & Disorder , Housing & Environment , Health & Social Care , Education & Learning, and Employment.

CRIME & DISORDER

The Evidence

The Enfield Crime and Disorder Audit has identified:

• A disproportionate amount of crime per thousand population in the very high and high priority wards
• A uniformly high incidence of domestic violence across a large area of the borough
• High levels of Anti-social behaviour and fire-setting in the very high priority category wards of Edmonton and Ponders End
• The MORI survey found that 68% of respondents felt unsafe at night – a level of fear of crime not matched by the actual figures

What we are doing already

• Police Operation Euro: this targets robbery, burglary and vehicle crime in the five Very High Priority wards, to counteract anticipated displacement from the south as a result of intensive police operations in Haringey;
• Bounces Road street improvements and retailers security improvements grant scheme;
• The introduction of Youth Diversion and Leadership courses by the Youth and Community Service of Enfield police;
• The Enfield Youth Offending Team are introducing a comprehensive restorative justice programme designed to break the cycle of youth offending.

What we propose to do

• Public reassurance, which includes diversionary actions to prevent the escalation of arson offences, Community police activity (including Community Support Officers) to tackle hotspot areas. There will also be a series of multi-agency, high visibility partnership days focussing upon the high priority areas in Edmonton and Ponders End.
• Safer Communities, which includes target-hardening vulnerable premises, and initiatives to target race/hate crime;
• Safer Streets which includes a small retailers security improvement scheme and the continuation of Operation Euro targeting priority crime (robbery and burglary)..
• Safer Children and Young People including interventions covering youth diversion and restorative justice building on current initiatives.
  

HOUSING & ENVIRONMENT

What surveys have told us

Consultation and recent survey work (including a survey by MORI) highlighted that the local community are very concerned about abandoned cars, litter, refuse collection, rats, graffiti and street crime. Lack of facilities for young people is also a major concern.

Based on our surveys these are our ideas to improve housing and environment. We have grouped our activities into themes and have already started to take some action. You may have already noticed that we have been working in Bounces Road improving the area plus other clean-up campaigns in Edmonton.

Safe and warm - energy efficiency and safety in the home

• Safer homes for vulnerable residents

Clean and Green - cleaning up neighbourhood (promoting
sustainable action on environmental issues (including recycling)
and promoting education on 'green' issues.

• Clean up blitz.
• Garden Gym & Green Fingers gardening club.

Out and about improving the street scene, improving access to open
spaces and facilities by promoting pedestrian and cycle safety.

• Rayham Community Park.
• Estate services & Abandoned cars.
• Ponders End Community Development Initiative.
• Bounces Road

Housing supply & sufficiency
Action on empty homes and more efficient use of the housing stock

• Empty homes
  

HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE

What we are focussing on

The targets for health centre on teenage pregnancy, life expectancy and infant mortality. The wards in Enfield with the lowest life expectancy are Angel Road, Craig Park and to a lesser extent, Ponders End, whilst the wards with the highest number of teenage pregnancies are Angel Road, Craig Park and Hoe Lane. Overall, the wards in the more deprived south and east have a lower life expectancy particularly for men.

What surveys have told us

The MORI residents’ survey highlighted major dissatisfaction with access to GPs and clinics in the deprived wards – we are planning further detailed surveys to find out why this is the case.

What’s currently going on

All health agencies in Enfield along with their partners in the public, voluntary and community sectors contribute to an annual Health Improvement and Modernisation Plan (HIMP) - this is co-ordinated by the Enfield Primary Care Trust, and aims to improve the health of Enfield residents and reduce inequalities. It reviews work currently being undertaken against local and national health priorities and strategies. The local priorities include smoking, the health of young people, inequalities in health, and coronary heart disease and stroke.

Enfield has managed to secure £1m over five years of New Opportunities Fund money for a Healthy Living Centre programme. This focuses on developing communities to address their own health needs through exercise and healthy eating through a network of 11 voluntary sector organisations.

The Health Authority has developed a Teenage Pregnancy Strategy agreed with all relevant partners.

A successful smoking cessation service has also been set up at North Middlesex Hospital and in primary care settings

Proposed NRF interventions

NRF health interventions are suggested by a delegated sub group of the thematic partnership on health - the Health and Social Care Board. This has representatives from all the NHS agencies in Enfield, the Council and the voluntary and community sector. Interventions for year 1 of the NRF scheme were -

• teenage pregnancy work
• expanding the focus of the Healthy Living Centre to involve older people
• breakfast clubs in schools
• smoking cessation

Proposed interventions for year 2 are at the very early stages of development, but suggested actions focus on areas such as –

• Supporting work with children and families to be provided from a single setting
• A more detailed survey into the reasons for dissatisfaction with access to GPs
• Developing services for vulnerable people
• Refining and checking evidence gained through Sure Start activities
• Prevention of alcohol and drug abuse
• Improving services to people with mental health problems
• Improving employment opportunities for mental health service users starting within mental health services, and
• Supporting asylum seeker and refugees doctors and health professionals to work in the NHS, and to build capacity in their community

EDUCATION & LEARNING

What we are focussing on

The main targets for Education and Learning are about improving standards of education in schools and achieving better examination results. We are also working on local targets to;

• Reduce the number of pupils permanently excluded from schools;
• Improve attendance levels at schools;
• Increase 16-18 year olds participation in structured learning;
• Improve basic skills for adults.
  

What surveys have told us

Community consultation in the past highlighted a number of issues including the following;

• Lack of affordable, accessible childcare, before and after school provision such as breakfast clubs and play schemes. Also holiday play-schemes for children of working parents and carers;
• Lack of youth and other community facilities;
• Poor use of some school premises and facilities;
• Lack of play facilities for children;
• Poor information about learning opportunities.

The recent MORI residents survey highlighted the fact that 43% of the population have no qualifications and that 34% were interested in taking part in a work related training course. Computing studies was the most popular choice of course.

What’s currently going on

The Sure Start programme, operating in St.Peters and Craig Park wards in Edmonton, is about providing better life chances for children age 0-3.

There are a wide variety of new and developing initiatives in schools and the following are just few examples. The Excellence in Cities programme
and Education Action Zone in Edmonton have set challenging targets for schools, including improving punctuality and attendance and increasing parental involvement. A number of schools in the area provide Family Learning and Study Support activities.

NRF Proposals

• Breakfast clubs. Clubs have already started in 8 schools in the area. The clubs provide a free breakfast alongside help with homework and literacy/numeracy.
• Improving attendance. A project to improve attendance levels and motivation of pupils who have poor attendance records, initially working with Aylward School.
• Community Development. To promote and co-ordinate joint working across all the agencies in a neighbourhood and develop actions to address and improve community and parental involvement in education and learning.
• Community Schools. To provide a broad range of services and activities on a school site in order to improve access for pupils, families and the wider community. This could range from health advice to further education classes.
• Sport Co-ordination. This is about increasing opportunities for sporting and physical activities in schools. It will create jobs and training opportunities for local people to become sports coaches.

EMPLOYMENT

The main things to consider

• the proportion of black and ethnic minority people out of work is high in Edmonton and Ponders End compared with the rest of the population;
• a concentration of long-term unemployed in parts of Edmonton and Ponders End;
• the relatively low wages paid for much local employment;
• the relatively small proportion of those unemployed who are seeking work;
• the increase in the proportion of people on benefits in Enfield particularly incapacity and sickness benefits.

What is the explanation?

skill shortages – though there are also members of newly arrived communities with qualifications that are not recognised locally;
lack of available or affordable childcare, which is a major issue for most families living in these wards due to the absence of good quality provision and the cost;
employers’ attitudes towards Edmonton postcodes;

What is the evidence?

The recent MORI survey of the Edmonton and Ponders End areas found that:

• for jobseekers the main barriers to finding work are not having the right skills, a lack of suitable jobs and age discrimination;
• the number of people who are unemployed as a proportion of those who are economically inactive – is more than twice the national level;
• Among those not working, most have been out of work for over five years or never had a job (80%). Just 14% are actively looking for a job, rising to 20% for those of working age

What’s currently going on

The Jobcentres borough wide run core programmes which offer four New Deals

• New Deal Lone Parents offers specialist advice to assist Lone parents into employment. This is done by job search, in work benefit calculations and incentives i.e. working families tax credit and financial assistant.
• New Deal 50 plus offers people over 50 job search, help and advice from specialist adviser. They may also eligible for receive Employment credit of up to £60 when they start work and an in work Training Grant of up to £600.
• New Deal 18 – 24 offers job search help and advice from specialist adviser.
• New Deal 25 Plus help and Advice from specialist adviser to assist people over 25 back into employment by offering job search, advice and guidance.

Our proposals

at the end of last year we formed the Enfield Employers’ Partnership to bring together employers with representatives of the local communities within Enfield to look at ways to reduce unemployment and raise income levels within the area. The partnership is at an early stage but so far it has proposed the following:

• a ‘Back to Work Bonus’ in the high priority areas of Edmonton and Ponders End, offering clients who have been unemployed for at least 52 weeks a cash incentive of £250 to help them start their new job;
• a full time Employment Liaison Officer to co-ordinate all activity

The partnership is also considering other proposals:

• to increase the amount of affordable childcare in the area;
• provide mentoring support to those who find it hard to get back into work; and
• provide training for people wishing to work in the retail sector so that they can take advantage of new jobs created through the arrival of Asda in Edmonton and other new retail in the area

 

Improvement Plan

The ESP was tasked by the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit with undertaking a Performance Management Framework (PMF) process, to be completed by April 2004. The purpose of the PMF was to:

• Strengthen delivery of services in order to meet both the national floor targets as well as local targets set by the Local Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy and/or Community Strategy.
• Review achievements and keep track of progress.
• Identify areas of weakness and decide where to concentrate efforts.
• Help the ESP to plan actions that will improve its impact.

On the advice of representatives from the Government Office for London (GoL) the ESP agreed to review its Accreditation Action Plan 2003 as part of the PMF process, to follow the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit’s (NRU’s) model, and to work with a Neighbourhood Renewal Adviser (NRA) to produce the PMF. The NRU’s PMF model is divided into three areas: reviewing delivery, reviewing partnership working and an Improvement Plan. The first two sections - delivery and partnership inform the Improvement Plan.

To read the full Improvement Plan, please click on these links:Improvement Plan - Introductory Statement and Improvement Plan document

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