Welcome to North East Regional Network Meeting

1. Welcome to North East Regional Network Meeting

2. Locality Local Update Debbie Lamb

3. Locality North EastRegional MeetingFunding Opportunities and Events Debbie Lamb

4. Community Assets and Services • Community Asset Acquisition • Contracting • Pre-feasibility - £5k-£10k • Feasibility - £10k-£100k • http://www.sibgroup.org.uk/communityrights/

5. Community Led Project Support • HCA fund • Support for: • Community Right to Build • Planning permission for houses, shops, community facilities • http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/community-led-project-support

6. Coastal Communities Fund • BIG • Priorities • Economic development • Jobs • Closing date 30 April 2014 • Grants of £50k+ • BIG Coastal Communities Fund

7. Community Investment Fund • SIB • £250,000 and £1m • Community based, locally led organisations • Debt and equity funding • http://socialandsustainable.com/community-investment-fund/

8. Prince’s Countryside Fund • Rural Areas - Four themes: • Rural Isolation • Decline of Rural communities • Low Farming Incomes • Lack of access to training • Closing date 10 April • http://www.princescountrysidefund.org.uk/

9. Lloyds Bank Foundation • New programme – opens April 2014 • Invest – flexible long-term core funding • Enable – smaller short term grants • Enhance – support to meet development needs • Lloyds Bank Foundation

10. BIG Potential • Getting investment ready • Diagnostic • Grants for specialist support • Open now – no deadlines • http://www.sibgroup.org.uk/bigpotential

11. Social Accounting Network • Conference in Newcastle • Friday 4th April 2014 • Newcastle University Business School • http://www.socialauditnetwork.org.uk/events-training/san-conference-2014/

12. Locality Events • 12 June: North East Regional Policy Roundtable • 8 October: North East Regional Network Meeting • 17 and 18 November: Convention in Cardiff

13. www.locality.org.ukdebbie.lamb@locality.org.uk

14. Welcome New Members • Back on the Map – Hendon, Sunderland

15. Locality’s interest • Birtley Community Partnership

16. Welcome New Members • Sharing Power Solutions

17. Diseconomies of Scale Neil Berry, Locality Charlotte Pell, Vanguard Consulting

19. Locality’s interest • Experience of our Members over many years • Introduction of Work Programme • Myths about economy of scale – esp in services“immutable law of economics” • Lack of any real evidence base • Encouragement from others

20. Methodology • Third sector experience • Financial data from 139 VCS organisations aspiring to deliver public services • Survey responses from 96 VCS organisations • Follow up depth interviews with 9 cases • End-user experience • Analysis of thousands of demands presented on the system, using “Vanguard Method” techniques

21. The Vanguard Method • Change starts by studying, getting knowledge of the “what and why” of performance as a system (we never start change with a “plan”) • It studies services end-to-end • It understands service-user demands, following them through the services in order to understand how and how well the services work. • It identifies the system conditions that hinder the achievement of purpose from the services users perspective.

22. What we found • Scale thinking is rife71.2% of aspiring VCS orgs fail the 25% “rule” • Scale thinking is destroying social capitalLoosening of bonds and multipliers – local SW case studyOrganisations going bust due to unit-cost squeeze • Scale takes vast resource away from the front lineMega-contracts typically 35-55% management costs • Potential savings are massiveestimated £16bn worth of diseconomies

24. The Drivers to Scale 1. Fear of failure 2. Fear of postcode lotteries 3. System efficiencies (QA, development costs) 4. Internal management convenience 5. Belief in economies of scale

25. Call to Action • Efficiency comes from Effective services, so these must: • Be “Local by Default” • Help people to help themselves • Focus on purpose, not outcomes • Manage value, not cost

26. web: www.localitybrokers.org.ukemail: info@localitybrokers.org.uk

27. Locality Brokers is on a mission… ….to partner property professionals with aspirational community enterprises to transform land and buildings for local and mutual benefit. … to help community asset projects get off to a good start with the support of our expert Brokers.

28. Neighbourhood Planning

30. How we help community organisations • Brokerage support : • Initial assessment and agree a plan • Prepare a clear and project brief, • Apply for pre-feasibility & feasibility funds if appropriate • Advice on governance arrangements & business planning • Advice on selection and appointment of property professional

31. How we help community organisations Online webinars – start 25th Feb Making decisions about your project? Project governance & accountability   What’s the process? The RIBA stages of work & communicating your project concept. Ben Downie, Director, Inkpen Downie Architecture & Design Ltd Business plan vs building planning? Constructing a viable business plan Jonathan Platt, GCP Architects  What if it goes wrong? Due diligence – issues for managing risk Ian Lush, The Architectural Heritage Fund Who do we need to help us? How to choose and appoint your property professionals Lorraine Hart Community Land Use.

32. How we help property professionals • Contract Opportunity Service • newsletter alert to current opportunities. • Brokerage support • Help you reach a clear and mutual working arrangement with a community organisation • Directory of suppliers: Online and searchable by all. • Promotion • Blog from ‘pocket parks’ to ‘interior design’ • Advertising on the Locality Brokers website

33. What they’ve said so far: “The support of the Broker was so important because she knew about other projects and other approaches that we could consider ...” Becky Jeffcoate, Wells Maltings Trust, Norfolk matched with local architect Rupert Kitchen of LSI Architects “The Service provides an opportunity through its structured process for firms to differentiate between “wheel kickers” and those with a serious intent. As it is part of something bigger there is pressure for everyone to perform well.” Firm’s feedback to the evaluator of the pilot service

34. Partnering professionals with aspirational community sector organisations to transform communities web: www.localitybrokers.org.ukemail: info@localitybrokers.org.uk