Social Enterprise and Town Centre Regeneration
A Social Enterprise Perspective
Craig SandersonScottish Social Enterprise Coalition and Link
Group Ltd.
26th October 2010
Wider Role – What is it?
The Scottish Government has encouraged Registered Social
Landlords to think broadly about how they can help regenerate
their local communities. This ‘Wider Role’ relates to:
“… activity that goes beyond the provision, improvement and
management of housing with the aim of improving the
economic, social and environmental circumstances of the
communities within which the RSL operates.”
Wider Role – A Brief History
Wider Role funding programme launched in
2000 – £35m in 700+ projects levering in
£100m more
2/3 of RSLs involved
Frozen at £12m till 2011
Range of Wider Activities Theme Number of projects Percentage of projects
Community care 17 3
Childcare 11 2
Education/learning 27 4
Employment/training 78 12
Financial inclusion 27 4
Environmental works 40 6
Sustainable issues (energy etc) 31 5
Community health 18 3
Community arts/culture 50 8
ICT/Digital inclusion 32 5
Community safety 34 5
Community transport 2 0
Youth services 51 8
Community facilities/workspaces 122 19
Homelessness/tenancy support 18 3
Other 97 15
Total 655 100%
Social Enterprises – What Are They?
“Businesses with primarily social objectives
whose surpluses are reinvested for that purpose
in the business or in the community rather than
being driven by the need to maximise profit for
shareholders or owners” (DTI 2002)
Compare and contrast (with other models)
Role• Enterprising
• Partner not a Contractor
• Part of the supply chain
• Community capacity building/development
• Community sustainability e.g. community benefits clause
• Both “intermediary” and direct service provider
• Adding value – Social Return
• Environmentally friendly
• Healthier communities
Examples
• Galeri Caernarfon – renovation, culture centre, cinema, etc.
• Cordale Housing Association – shop, postoffice, health centre/flatlets
• Upkeep – social firm (Shettleston HA) maintenance services
• The Briggait – Wasps Artists. Studios, business units, hall, cafe
• Queens Cross Housing Association – workspaces,etc.
• Fyne Homes – chip fat to fuel, market garden, etc.
• Link HA - Factoring/Private Sector Leasing
• New Lanark Hotel
New Gorbals Glasgow
Ardler, DundeeSanctuary Scotland
Cunninghame
Petershill Community Initiative - NGHA
£6.1million sports, leisure and
business facility
£610,000 wider role funding
Additional funding (Glasgow City
Council, private finance, Social
Inclusion funding, European
funding)
For every £1 wider role funding, £9
levered in
Social Enterprise Clydebank
Link in Petersburn
260 new homes
Mixed tenure
Community Benefit Clauses
in 4-year contract
Petersburn Development
Trust - £1m raised for
playparks
• Digital Links project
Future Role/Changes/Who Involved?
• Acquire business eg family
• Growth – merger/joint working
• Enterprising, not “subsidy junkie”
• Public understanding/recognition
• Risk taking – SE and governments
• Re-introduce the wee/corner shop
• Embrace profit and private sector
• Growth – renewables, waste and anbeorobic digestion
• Facilities management eg Glasgow Games legacy
• Public social partnerships
COMMUNITIES, Local and National Govt, Business
Changes/Barriers
• Finance/Funding, esp. initial
• Wider Role/ LA regeneration funds scrapped?
• TUPE e.g. pensions
• Lack of expertise e.g. marketing, running a business
• Business support
• Efficiencies
• Procurement / commissioning / tendering
• Asset (e.g. land) ownership/reform
Changes/Barriers (cont.)
• Time – To consult, involve, empower communities
• Need leadership (not representation)? Discuss….
• Seen as unaccountable by local government
• Tesco Metros
• Concordat / Single Outcome Agreements
• CPPs
• Not recognising ourselves as SE
• Networks
Further Guidance/Inspiration Social Enterprise, SROI, etc.
‘Making the Case : Social Added Value Guide’ (Communities Scotland 2006) ‘Tendering for Public Sector Contracts’, 2nd ed. (Forth Sector, 2007) ‘Better Value: The Social Economy delivering public sector contracts’ and ‘Purchasing public services from the social economy’ (Communities Scotland 2007) ‘Making measurement meaningful:embedding quality and impact tools in the social economy and Funding for Social Enterprises’ (Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition. www.ssec.org.uk) Forth Sector (for the SROI Framework project)
www.forthsectordevelopment.org.uk
Further Guidance/Inspiration (cont.)
SROI Network www.sroi-uk.org ‘Really Telling Accounts’ and ‘Social Accounting and Audit…the process in a nutshell…’ (Social Audit Network) www.cbs-network.org.uk SROI Project www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/15300/SROI Social Enterprise Academy www.theacademy-ssea.org Local People Leading www.localpeopleleading.co.uk Senscot www.senscot.net ‘Making Places Work:Future Directions for the Role of Housing Associations in Community Regeneration in Scotland’ (SFHA 2008) ‘Social Capital Profile’ Assist Social Capital www.social-capital.net Corporate Social Responsibility www.csr.gov.uk
The one that got away…….