Local communities and service distribution in an era of austerity

1. Local communities and service distribution in an era of austerity  Peter Matthews Annette Hastings Research funded by:

2. Contents • Realist synthesis • Local strategy of equality • Four causal theories of middle class activism • Land-use planning • Neighbourhood services • Questions for local leadership

3. Realist Synthesis • Method from policy analysis • Between RCTs/systematic review and more “theoretical” approaches • Identifies families of mechanisms and the evidence base for them • Aims to create a “middle theory” with predictive power • 1980 – present day, UK, US, Scandinavia

4. M n C n O

5. Mechanism: middle class community activism C n Outcome: disproportionate benefit to middle classes

6. Local strategy of equality “In principle, local people may choose to vote for high or low spending political parties, and so any given level of service should not be enforced by the centre.” (Powell, Boyne & Ashworth, 2001: 21)

7. Local strategy of equality Equality to meet need • Normative • Felt • Expressed • Comparative Outcomes:

8. Local strategy of equality Rights: “Each area is entitled to a level of spending proportionate to its contribution to national and local taxes” Outcomes:

9. Local strategy of equality Effort: “all areas should be able to provide the same standard of service by drawing upon the same proportion of their tax base ” Outcomes:

10. Local strategy of equality • Equal level of service for individuals • Equitable treatment for taxpayers • Equal outcomes for individuals • Local differences expressing local wishes Outcomes:

11. Mechanism: middle class community activism C n Outcome: disproportionate benefit to middle classes

13. Localism • Planning for housing development • Neighbourhood services in deprived areas

14. Planning for housing development Open Source Planning • Mechanism: middle class community activism is stopping development because residents do not get any material benefit from new development, only costs C n Outcome: Not enough homes being provided in areas where they are needed

15. Planning for housing development Open Source Planning • Mechanism: materially benefit middle class homeowners and they will want homes to be built: • New homes bonus; • Community Infrastructure Levy. C n Outcome: lots of new homes in the south east of England

16. “Open Source planning will engage local communities and foster a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship.” or a logic of using a rights-based equitable outcome to meet normative or expressed need and equality in provision

17. ‘In order to keep riff-raff from [nearby city] out of the community you need this s106 Agreement [planning policy]’ Sturzaker, 2010: 1014

18. Causal theories • Middle classes much more likely to be members of parish councils • Middle classes more likely to comment on applications – self-sustaining cycle • Middle classes can call on social capital – retired planners etc. • Pre-1997 system generally favoured middle classes • Developers imagine a vocal middle class and pre-emptively respond to them Expressed need trumps normative need

19. Planning for housing development • Mechanism: middle classes resist development as predicted by four causal theories Context: socio- economic inequality Outcome: lower planned housing numbers

20. Planning for housing development • Mechanism: middle classes resist development as predicted by four causal theories Context: socio- economic inequality • Mechanism: HMA-led regional planning targets Outcome: increased planned housing numbers

21. Planning for housing development Open Source Planning • Mechanism: • New homes bonus; • Community Infrastructure Levy; • Neighbourhood planning; Context: socio- economic inequality four causal theories Outcome: further reduction in planned housing numbers

22. Neighbourhood Services • Mechanism: middle class community activism Context: socio- economic inequality Outcome: “inverse care law”

23. Neighbourhood Services - ABIs • Mechanism: middle class community activism • Mechanism: ABIs • Enhanced services • Tailored services and projects • Capital investment • Community empowerment Context: socio- economic inequality • Outcomes: • Unequal services • More equal outcomes

24. Neighbourhood Management • Mechanism: middle class community activism • Mechanism: neighbourhood management • Enhanced services • Realigned mainstream expenditure Context: socio- economic inequality • Outcomes: • Unequal services • More equal outcomes

25. Control Shift “By giving people more power and control over the services that are delivered in their areas, we can inspire a new spirit of civic pride in our communities. It’s simple psychology – when people know their actions can make a real difference they are far more motivated to get involved.”

26. or providing opportunities for felt need to be expressed will enable services to meet this expressed need which will be normative need

27. Localism • Mechanism: empowering reforms allow felt need to be expressed Outcome: “Decentralisation will allow different communities to do different things in different ways to meet their different needs. This will certainly increase variety in service provision. But far from being random – as the word ‘lottery’ implies – such variation will reflect the conscious choices made by local people.” • Context: • No difference in capacity between communities • Communities stifled by state

28. Localism in action • Substantial, front-loaded reductions in grants that met comparative need • Pressure on local government services in most deprived areas • Community right-to-buy • Community right-to-challenge

29. Neighbourhood Services • Mechanism: middle class community activism four causal theories Community right to challenge Context: socio- economic inequality Community right to buy Outcome: “inverse care law” Rights or effort-based equity

30. Conclusion • Effect of middle class activism is overwhelming • Needs of middle classes are expressed and normalised • Localism creates new channels by which mechanisms might be effective • Very likely to exacerbate inequalities • Localism must be funded • Questions for local leadership