cv-no-longer-notorious-book

Chapter 10
| Transferable Lessons
Transferable Lessons | Chapter 10
Chapter 10
“Castle Vale HAT always seemed successful, pretty much from the
whom the Trust had shared a sometimes fractious relationship, was
improvements in life expectancy and rates of employment.
Transferable Lessons
outset,” says Martin Knox of Anthony Collins Solicitors, a long-term
advisor to the Trust 1 . This was no illusion. Throughout its lifetime the
complimentary. After winning the Secretary of State’s Award for
Partnership in Regeneration in 2000, Albert Bore, leader of
For much of the second half of its life, Castle Vale Housing Action
Housing Action Trust won an impressive number of awards and
Birmingham City Council, said: “This is good news for Birmingham.
Trust was widely regarded as living, breathing evidence of success. It
accolades. Highlights included the prestigious Charter Mark Award
Castle Vale is an excellent example of what can be achieved through
was the positive face of government policy in area-based revival.
for excellence in public service (twice), the Secretary of State's
genuine partnership working, and engaging local people in
Award for Partnership in Regeneration, the Modernising Government
regenerating their own communities”.
An influential model
Partnership Award (twice), and the Forward Prize from the
Birmingham Civic Society, for making a significant contribution to the
Throughout its lifetime, Castle Vale Housing Action Trust hosted an
Government policy in regeneration has come a long way since Castle
Vale Housing Action Trust was established. In 1993 ‘regeneration’
HAT Management team (from left to right) Donald McIntosh, Pat
Riley, John Williams, Carole Wildman and Angus Kennedy.
city. In 2003 a survey conducted by Regeneration & Renewal
average of 60 visits per year from other regeneration organisations.
was unknown, at least in the contemporary sense of the word. The
magazine revealed that Castle Vale Housing Action Trust was one
And admiration wasn’t limited to the UK. In 1998 Dr Zui Weinstein,
revival of deprived neighbourhoods was regarded as a predominantly
of the six most admired regeneration organisations in the country 2 .
of the Israeli Department of Urban Renewal, wrote: “As a visitor
physical issue. There was nothing like the contemporary level of
familiar with distressed neighbourhoods I think you are running a
coordination between health services, the police, and education
The Trust’s Visitors Book also bears testament to its reputation. In
fantastic project, dealing with physical and social aspects of the
providers. Neighbourhood management and the encouragement of
August 2004, Dame Mavis McDonald, permanent secretary to the
whole community”.
resident involvement were also foreign concepts.
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister wrote: “It has been a great
privilege to have been involved at the beginning and at the end of
By the late-1990s the extent of positive change in Castle Vale was
Part of the reason for their existence today is because between 1991
one of the most impressive transformations of a neighbourhood in
such that the estate could provide positive examples of pretty much
and 1993 six Housing Action Trusts were given unusually generous
the UK. There are many powerful lessons to be learnt from Castle
any policy or methodology that politicians and opinion-formers chose
powers to find answers to intractable problems. They also had
Vale for the regeneration and development of sustainable
to mention. These included a resident-controlled community-based
adequate control, funds, and assets to embrace cutting-edge ideas.
communities.” In July 2001, Joe Montgomery, Director General of
housing association, one of the earliest Neighbourhood
the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit, described the work of the Housing
Management partnerships, local people in positions of authority, a
Over its lifetime, Castle Vale Housing Action Trust piloted new
Castle Vale HAT staff unwind after their away-day in May 2003.
Action Trust as, “inspirational”. Even Birmingham City Council, with
positive working atmosphere within the Trust, and substantial
approaches to giving power to local people, preparing the ground for
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1
Martin Knox, who passed away in autumn 2004, was a specialist in developing legal frameworks to help community groups lead the regeneration of their areas. Anthony Collins Solicitors is a prominent Birmingham-based practice.
2
Regeneration & Renewal, 12 September 2003.
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