The Big Society, Localism & Housing Policy
Lead Research Organisation:
University of St Andrews
Department Name: Geography and Sustainable Development
Abstract
Since the formation of the UK coalition government in 2010 'localism' and the 'big society' have become key buzz words featuring high on political and policy agendas. Both fuzzy and fluid terms, they reflect the presumed benefits of devolving power downwards to communities, and the social value of volunteering, self-help and philanthropy. These ideals have been highly influential in housing policy and practice across the UK. Their influence can be seen, for example, in the growing emphasis on community and mutual provision within the affordable housing sector, and the inclusion of a community 'right to challenge' in the English Localism Bill. Yet housing reforms are also entangled in wider debates about the appropriate role of welfare in the 'big society'. Prime Minister Cameron has evoked the rhetoric of 'broken Britain' (as reflected in the recent English riots) to justify a fundamental restructuring of the British Welfare State. The current Welfare Reform Bill therefore poses important questions about the future role of social housing, and how housing support will be provided to low-income households. Crucially, these potential consequences may differ across the UK depending on the way devolved administrations (and also local authorities) use their powers and budgets, perhaps leading to greater divergence in housing policy than we have seen under devolution so far.
In order to further our understanding of the effects of the 'big society' on housing policy and practice in the UK, this Seminar Series aims to deconstruct and evaluate the impact of these ideas in a way that is sensitive to national policy differences across the UK, whilst at the same time learning from international experiences. The format of the Series will lead to the establishment of a new inter-disciplinary, cross-sector network of critically informed researchers (including early-career researchers).
In order to further our understanding of the effects of the 'big society' on housing policy and practice in the UK, this Seminar Series aims to deconstruct and evaluate the impact of these ideas in a way that is sensitive to national policy differences across the UK, whilst at the same time learning from international experiences. The format of the Series will lead to the establishment of a new inter-disciplinary, cross-sector network of critically informed researchers (including early-career researchers).
Planned Impact
The following organisations will benefit from the seminars:
-Government departments: Communities and Local Government (England); Scottish Government Housing; Housing, Regeneration and Heritage (Wales); Department for Social Development (NI).
-Social housing delivery bodies and tenant participation groups: NI Housing Executive,
Homes and Communities Agency (England); Tenant Participation Advisory Service (GB); housing associations and Registered Social Landlords; Arms Length Management Organisations; tenant members of RSL Boards.
-Practitioner & professional organisations (*=offices across the UK): *Chartered Institute of Housing; National Housing Federation; Scottish Federation of Housing Associations; NI Federation of Housing Associations; Community Housing Cymru, *Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors; *Royal Town Planning Institute.
-Housing advice and campaigning bodies: Shelter (across GB); Housing Rights Service (NI); Citizens Advice Bureaux; Crisis; Homeless Link.
-Private rented sector and owner occupation: Association of Residential Lettings Agencies; Council for Mortgage Lenders; organisations representing private sector landlords; credit unions; self-build housing organisations; Home Improvement Agencies.
-Policy development bodies: Institute of Public Policy Research, Resolution Foundation, new economics foundation, Policy Exchange, Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
-Voluntary sector umbrella groups: e.g. National Council for Voluntary Organisations and their counterparts in Scotland, Wales and NI.
-Other: Lay people; political parties and politicians.
Much of the literature published so far on the Big Society has been descriptive or prescriptive, or both. These seminars will provide a deeper and more theoretical analysis of its strengths, weaknesses and limitations, situated in the history of localism. The seminars will provide an assessment of policy impact in all four UK jurisdictions, with international speakers providing a broader context. The impact of the seminar series will be maximised as follows:
-User involvement strategy: Users from across the UK will be involved in the planning of the seminars and included in invitations. A wider group will be able to join an e-mail list the project web site, which includes an interactive element (see below). Feedback on seminars and on web site material will be invited. In the medium term (up to one year after the end of the seminars), users will be encouraged to participate in a network to continue work in this area, using the project web site as the principal resource. The seminar organisers will accept invitations to speak at practitioner conferences and other forums. In the long term, users may wish to fund or participate in further practitioner-oriented research; their views will be included in published outputs.
-Project web site and social media strategy: Web-based communication will be at the heart of the project's knowledge transfer and dissemination activities. A web site will be established including interactive elements e.g. a blog, e-mail mailing list, and web links to stakeholder organisations and Big Society resources. Facebook and Twitter will also be used. In the medium term, the web site will be retained and strengthened as an interactive resource. In the long term the site will be archived for the benefit of further research.
-Seminar reports and working papers: The main route for dissemination of seminar material will be web-based (see above), however paper copies will also be available. Reports will include an overview for each seminar; a final report summarising progress with the seminar objectives and future plans; and thematic papers. Other material will be requested from speakers, which in the case of user participants could include information briefings or case studies. All papers will include a summary in accessible language. These items will complement academic outputs.
-Government departments: Communities and Local Government (England); Scottish Government Housing; Housing, Regeneration and Heritage (Wales); Department for Social Development (NI).
-Social housing delivery bodies and tenant participation groups: NI Housing Executive,
Homes and Communities Agency (England); Tenant Participation Advisory Service (GB); housing associations and Registered Social Landlords; Arms Length Management Organisations; tenant members of RSL Boards.
-Practitioner & professional organisations (*=offices across the UK): *Chartered Institute of Housing; National Housing Federation; Scottish Federation of Housing Associations; NI Federation of Housing Associations; Community Housing Cymru, *Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors; *Royal Town Planning Institute.
-Housing advice and campaigning bodies: Shelter (across GB); Housing Rights Service (NI); Citizens Advice Bureaux; Crisis; Homeless Link.
-Private rented sector and owner occupation: Association of Residential Lettings Agencies; Council for Mortgage Lenders; organisations representing private sector landlords; credit unions; self-build housing organisations; Home Improvement Agencies.
-Policy development bodies: Institute of Public Policy Research, Resolution Foundation, new economics foundation, Policy Exchange, Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
-Voluntary sector umbrella groups: e.g. National Council for Voluntary Organisations and their counterparts in Scotland, Wales and NI.
-Other: Lay people; political parties and politicians.
Much of the literature published so far on the Big Society has been descriptive or prescriptive, or both. These seminars will provide a deeper and more theoretical analysis of its strengths, weaknesses and limitations, situated in the history of localism. The seminars will provide an assessment of policy impact in all four UK jurisdictions, with international speakers providing a broader context. The impact of the seminar series will be maximised as follows:
-User involvement strategy: Users from across the UK will be involved in the planning of the seminars and included in invitations. A wider group will be able to join an e-mail list the project web site, which includes an interactive element (see below). Feedback on seminars and on web site material will be invited. In the medium term (up to one year after the end of the seminars), users will be encouraged to participate in a network to continue work in this area, using the project web site as the principal resource. The seminar organisers will accept invitations to speak at practitioner conferences and other forums. In the long term, users may wish to fund or participate in further practitioner-oriented research; their views will be included in published outputs.
-Project web site and social media strategy: Web-based communication will be at the heart of the project's knowledge transfer and dissemination activities. A web site will be established including interactive elements e.g. a blog, e-mail mailing list, and web links to stakeholder organisations and Big Society resources. Facebook and Twitter will also be used. In the medium term, the web site will be retained and strengthened as an interactive resource. In the long term the site will be archived for the benefit of further research.
-Seminar reports and working papers: The main route for dissemination of seminar material will be web-based (see above), however paper copies will also be available. Reports will include an overview for each seminar; a final report summarising progress with the seminar objectives and future plans; and thematic papers. Other material will be requested from speakers, which in the case of user participants could include information briefings or case studies. All papers will include a summary in accessible language. These items will complement academic outputs.
Organisations
Publications
| Description | The ambition of the seminar series was to deconstruct how ideas of 'localism' and the'big society' have impacted upon and influenced housing policy and practice in the UK, in the context of devolution, whilst also learning from international experiences. To achieve its objectives three seminars were held across the UK: Sheffield, Belfast and St Andrews. Each workshop focused on different themes and questions within the overall topic, and was led by different members of the multi-institution, inter-disciplinary organising team. Workshop speakers and participants represented a mix of early career(*) and more established researchers from a range of disciplines (including geography, social policy, sociology, planning, law and economics), from within and beyond (^) the UK. Each seminar had capacity for 40 participants (final numbers listed below). Seminar 1 (The Big Society and Localism - what do they mean for Housing Studies?) was held in Sheffield on 7-8 March 2013. Speakers for the event were: Kim McKee, Tony Manzi, Keith Jacobs^, David Mullins, Vidhya Alakeson, David Clapham, Grania Long, Paul Broadbent, Mike Raco and Peter Matthews*. (40 participants and was oversubscribed). Seminar 2 (Localism, Welfare Reform and Tenure Restructuring) was held in Belfast on 24-25th October 2013. Speakers for the event were: John Flint, Ed Ferrari, David Hulchankski^, Rebecca Tunstall, Paul Hickman, Chris Dayson*, Greg Lloyd, Andy inch, John McPeake, David Robinson and Mary Taylor. (33 participants) Seminar 3 (The Big Society, Localism and the Futrue of Housing Policy) was held in St Andrews on 13-14 March 2014. Speakers for the event were: Keith Edwards, Tom Moore*, Richard Lang^*, David Manley, Antonia Layard, Jenny Muir, David Orr, Keith Dryburgh, Peter Wells, Tobias Jung, and Colleen Rowan. (35 participants). The aims of the seminar series were to i) build links between academics, policy-makers and public and voluntary sector organisations; ii) afford early-career academics an opportunity to present in a supportive environment and meet senior colleagues in their field; iii) learn from experience across the UK and internationally. Organisations represented from the public and voluntary sector across the UK included: Building and Social Housing Foundation; Chartered Institute of Housing and Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru; Citizens' Advice Scotland; Community Foundation for Northern Ireland; Crisis; Disability Action; Gangmasters' Licensing Authority; Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations; Mencap; No Second Night Out; Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations; Northern Ireland Housing Executive; Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister; Queens Cross Housing Association; Resolution Foundation; Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and the Scottish Government. International speakers were drawn from Australia, Austria and Canada, with each event also featuring an early-career presenter. The seminar series was popular and we received positive feedback from delegates during each seminar and in evaluation forms. The event also created a new network of researchers engaged in this area, as well as establishing an online community through the project Twitter feed and blog. Several delegates attended more than one of our events, and we were very pleased at the level of interest and engagement from outside academia. Individual seminar reports have been made available online, and thematic briefing papers are in progress. A special journal issue has also been published. The seminar series achieved its stated objectives, in particular it considered and redefined longstanding debates around localism in the context of devolved government in the UK. Moreover, it raised the critical and important issue of the interconnection between the Big Society agenda and that of 'Broken Britain'. The key argument discussed was that the Big Society is more than simply a localist agenda; it is a rejection of big government and the welfare state, and is a means to roll-back state support for low-income households and communities. Localism in this context may therefore exacerbate already existing social-spatial inequalities within and aross the UK. Yet the positive potential of localism, in terms of new models of not-for-profit housing and the capacity for community resilience were also highlighted, as was the proactive committment of social landlords to respond to the challenges posed by austerity on behalf of their tenants. |
| Exploitation Route | Outputs from the seminar series (please see URL above) will be relevant to non academics - in particular housing colleagues working in policy and practice in the public and voluntary sector. We anticipate that the seminar and thematic reports will be sources of reference for the development of future policies, and at the very least have generated new topics of conversation on the key themes of localism and place policies. Morever, the geography of the seminar series has encouraged much more sensitivity amongst participants to the nuances of policy-making in the post-devolution context, as well as opening up opportunities for new networks and collaborations between academic and non-academic partners. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| URL | http://bigsocietylocalismhousing.co.uk/publications/ |
| Description | This narrative impact builds upon our Key Findings Document. Our findings have been used to support a more critical appraisal of coalition government policies that relate to localism and housing, in the context of devolved policy-making in the UK. We identified 3 targeted routes for achieving the maximum potential impact. 1) Briefing Papers: we produced short summary papers from each of the three seminars (Sheffield, Belfast and St Andrews) and three thematic papers (The Big Society and Welfare Reform, Localism and New Housing Futures, Devolution, Localism and Housing Policy). All are available open access on our project website. 2) Special Issue: we published a special journal issue edited by McKee in Housing Theory and Society in 2015. It featured four other contributors from the seminar series (Flint, Matthews, Manzi, and Jacobs). 3) Non Academic Impact: we set up a website to make presentations and papers from the seminar series available to wider publics. This was emphasised to delegates. Plus delegates and presenters were drawn directly from policy and practice communities across the UK, to encourage dialogue with academic discourse. We also had a lively Twitter feed (@housingseminars), which a year on from the last seminar still has over 400 followers. Use in Non-Academic Context We set out to achieve impact upon two primary non-academic user groups: housing practitioners and policy-makers in the public and voluntary sector. As we outlined in the Key Findings report the seminar series had strong attendance from these user groups. We briefly outline the potential use of our seminar series and associated work for each of these user groups: • Practitioners: our seminar series was well attended by practitioners across the housing sector, some operating within the devolved context and others across the UK. In particular the SFHA and GWSF are organisations we have retained strong links with, and they remain very interested in our work on social housing and welfare reform in particular. A strength of the series was making practitioners aware of different models and ways of doing things in different parts of the UK, and how they could learn from each other. • Policy-makers: our seminar series was attended by civil servants from the Scottish Government (Communities and Analytical Services), Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, and this has developed into a positive dialogue about our work more broadly, especially in the Scottish context. The links between housing and welfare reform and between localism and the future of social housing were of particular interest. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2013 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Societal |