This publication from the Young Foundation presents a collection of stories about innovative and inspirational neighbourhood initiatives. They originate from a consortium of 15 councils plus national organisations that are collectively seeking modern and practical ways to support community empowerment and improve neighbourhood working. The report summarises the lessons learnt from the Transforming Neighbourhoods programme and describes how councils can put them into practice.Priorities for residents and groups included reducing crime and improving street scene and public realm through crime prevention and addressing the needs of young people, seeing tangible results, evidence of being listened to even when their wishes cannot be taken on board and respectful attitudes from agencies and their representatives.
Senior managers in local government admit they are struggling to manage conflicting priorities. But research from the Chartered Management Institute reveals that managers and leaders in the sector are highly motivated although they worry that the challenges they face will affect their ability to perform.
There are 19,689 councillors across England and only 168 of them are ethnic minority women, which is less than one per cent, despite the fact that ethnic minority women make up 4.6 per cent of the UK population. Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and Equalities, has called for more ethnic minority women to take up roles in public life and wants the number to rise to around 1,000 to make councils fully representative and strengthen local democracy.
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