In the second year of the Neighbourhood Action Network the Young Foundation worked with NAN consortium members on the following three workstreams: devolving funds to localities, neighbourliness and belonging, and organisational culture.

Workstream one: Devolving funds to localities

Nationally, much emphasis has recently been placed on the opportunities to devolve funds to localities as a way to promote spending effectiveness, as well as engage and empower residents. Many local authorities have developed different ways to enable residents or councillors to be involved. Using case studies this workstream will broaden discussion to include the full spectrum of approaches.

The seminar on devolving funds to localities was held on Thursday 17 July. Linda Hines, Director of Witton Lodge Community Association, presented on the experience of devolving funds in Perry Common, Birmingham. A copy of Linda’s presentation can be found here.

The Young Foundation has also completed a paper on devolving funds for the IDeA and LGA, NAN national partners. A copy of the paper can be found here.

Workstream two: Neighbourliness and belonging

In recent decades increased mobility, longer life expectancy, the breakdown of the extended family and an increasingly diverse and rapidly changing population have changed the way we live, and the extent to which we feel connected to our neighbourhoods. Building social capital at the local level can lead to stronger, healthier communities and a sense of neighbourliness and belonging among local residents.

This workstream included suggestions for possible projects and rationale for taking them forward, building on the Young Foundation's parallel work on wellbeing and neighbourhood working.

The seminar on neighbourliness and belonging was held on Thursday 17 July. Kevin Harris from Local Level gave a presentation on neighbourliness, which can be found here.

To read a copy neighbourliness and belonging framing paper click here.

Workstream three: Organisational culture

Over the last decade there has been a growing acknowledgement within local government that one of the major impediments to improving service delivery is the culture of the organisation. A local authority can fine tune its departmental structures time and again, but if the culture of the authority does not support cross departmental working, fails to accommodate local setting of priorities, and does not put empowerment of residents and service users at its core, then neighbourhood working will be frustrated.

The seminar on organisational culture was held on Thursday 11 September. Tony Smith, Senior Policy Officer, Birmingham City Council, presented on how neighbourhood working can become part of the wider culture of the local authority. You can find a copy of Tony’s presentation here.

To read a copy of the organisational culture framing paper click here.