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…….